EU-Algeria Partnership: Paris’s Maneuvers at the Heart of the Stalemates

The statement by the European Commission’s spokesperson regarding the deployment of Algerian military personnel in Niger was met with deep exasperation in Algiers. On October 30, Anouar El Anouni stated that the European Union was closely monitoring this operation and seeking clarification regarding its scope, objectives, and legal basis. In a hard-hitting editorial, the official Press Service (APS), citing authorized sources, issued a formal denial of this statement, asserting that Algiers had never received the slightest diplomatic approach to that effect. Beyond this artificial controversy surrounding Algerian-Nigerien military cooperation, the agency lifted the veil on the true instigators of the deadlocks plaguing the Euro-Algerian partnership, directly pointing to France's responsibility for the institutional paralysis and commercial restrictions.

According to APS, this attempt at pressure and superfluous tension is part of a broader strategy orchestrated by France to hinder rapprochement between Algeria and the European Union. The most emblematic file of this obstruction is undoubtedly the Association Council, a major political body in the partnership between Algiers and Brussels, which is currently plunged into total lethargy. Its twelfth and final formal session dates back to December 7, 2020, held via a simple videoconference, and no ministerial council has met since, despite Algeria's repeated requests to reactivate this essential dialogue channel. This inertia does not stem from simple administrative dysfunction, but rather from a deliberate political asphyxiation orchestrated behind the scenes.

On the economic front, the picture of European contradictions is reflected in the targeted restrictions imposed on Algerian products, such as steel, which hinder access to the community market in violation of reciprocal interests. This aberration was also openly pointed out by voices from within Europe itself. During his visit to Algiers, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis deplored these discriminatory measures, highlighting their blatant contradiction with the strategic leading role played by Algeria in Europe’s energy supply and the fight against illegal immigration.

This discrepancy highlights the progressive isolation of French diplomacy in the face of the pragmatic interests of other European capitals. Whether it is Italy, Spain, or Germany, EU partners are multiplying visits, agreements, and joint projects with Algiers, demonstrating a bilateral vitality that contrasts sharply with French obstructionism. This observation is also shared by Ségolène Royal, president of the Algerian-French Friendship Association, who regularly recalls that Algeria maintains excellent relations with all European countries, with the sole exception of France. By persisting in an obsessive hostility in an attempt to isolate Algiers, France risks isolating itself above all, becoming the main obstacle within European integration.

Wissem Chergui