The fifth meeting of the Algerian-French Joint Committee on History and Memory, held on Wednesday, resulted in significant progress in addressing the memory issues that both the Algerian and French people aspire to resolve.
According to the final statement, it was emphasized that negotiations within the framework of the Algerian-French Joint Working Group on the issue of archives must continue.
The Algerian committee presented an open list of historical Algerian properties with symbolic significance, preserved in various French institutions, and proposed their symbolic return to Algeria.
The Algerian committee urged its French counterpart to raise concerns about the restitution of cultural and archival properties, among others, included in the attached list to President Emmanuel Macron. The French committee unanimously agreed to submit these concerns to President Macron to ensure the return of these properties to their country of origin as soon as possible.
The committees also agreed to continue developing a chronological agreement on the 19th century, covering military, political, economic, social, cultural, and humanitarian aspects.
Moreover, they agreed to enhance scientific and technical cooperation in fields such as restoration, digitization, exchange of experiences, libraries, bibliographies, and scientific and cultural exchanges. This includes commemorating memory sites in Algeria and France, digitizing civil status records, and maintaining the cemeteries of French people in Algeria and Algerians in France during the 19th century.
The French committee proposed a project for a scientific meeting on archives during 2024-2025, which was welcomed by the Algerian committee. This proposal outlines future partnership prospects presented by the French archives and the French National Library officials during their visit to the Algerian National Archives and the Algerian National Library.
The committee expressed its hope that the Algiers Declaration of August 2022 would be genuinely realized, fulfilling the Joint Committee’s mission and implementing concrete actions that reflect a true commitment to addressing all aspects of the colonial period to look forward to the future.
Additionally, it was agreed to hold the next meeting at the beginning of July in France.
The committee’s work was conducted on May 22 and 23, 2024, at the headquarters of the National Archives.
The French committee extended its heartfelt thanks to its Algerian counterpart and all institutions for their warm reception and for providing insights into their rich archives during the visit to Algeria.
