Visas between France and Algeria: 5 minutes to understand the end of the diplomatic crisis

The final whistle of a diplomatic crisis. France and Algeria recorded this Sunday a return to “normal consular relations,” according to Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, who arrived in Algeria. On Friday, the head of French diplomacy, Catherine Colonna, did the same from Rabat.

Penalty for exerting pressure

The beginning of the crisis refers to the fall of 2021. Then the French government decided to reduce the issuance of visas in Morocco and Algeria by half and by 30% in Tunisia.

Target ? To force these countries to cooperate more in the fight against illegal immigration. France reproached the three states for not issuing passes when their citizens were expelled. For example, Algeria only granted 5% of French requests in 2021, compared to 56.3% in 2019, Le Monde noted last year.

“Misunderstanding on both sides of the Mediterranean”

On the Algerian side, several arguments were put forward to justify this restriction. “This happened at the height of the country’s health crisis, at a time when Algerian borders were closed even to citizens who were abroad,” insists Brahim Oumansour, director of the IRIS Maghreb Observatory, who speaks of a “misunderstanding.” on both sides of the Mediterranean.”

“There was a general rejection not from the authorities,” he continues, but from people “whose identity was difficult to establish with certainty” or who were “S files and for whom there was a security issue.” Added to this is “a lot of trouble” that has soured relations, “such as delayed contracts or the promotion of English at the expense of French,” said Antoine Basbu, director of the Arab Observatory.

“This visa blackmail was perceived as a humiliation,” continues Brahim Umansour, because it affected not only potential immigration candidates. “This decision has baffled many businessmen, politicians, individuals,” he continues.

Macron’s visit to unlock relations

Thus, it was necessary to repair damaged relationships. “A closeness has been established between Emmanuel Macron and Abdelmajid Tebbun. The two governments managed to overcome this tension,” Brahim Umansour decodes.

He mentions, in particular, “the many gestures made by Paris on the issue of the memorial, the recognition of the state’s responsibility for the death of Ali Bumencel and, more specifically, the visit of Emmanuel Macron in August.”

The visit of the President of the Republic continued with the visit of the Prime Minister Elisabeth Born and about fifteen ministers, which is another sign of rapprochement.

Energy problem at the heart of the file?

Gérald Darmanin’s visit to Algeria ends a tumultuous chapter in relations between France and the Maghreb countries following the lifting of restrictions in Morocco late last week and in Tunisia. “They announce a return to normal life, but the number of visas issued will remain the same? Antoine Basbu is already perplexed, very cautiously.

“The Algerian authorities make it clear that when the identity of a citizen is verified, there is a pass,” argues Brahim Oumansour, who emphasizes that “it is impossible to talk about economic cooperation and partnership without equal mobility.”

An energy question is in his viewfinder: “Algeria is a major gas producer, considered by the EU as an alternative to part of Russian production,” he recalls. Antoine Basbou is more ambivalent about the thaw: “I have not seen a single Algerian minister in Paris. On the other hand, I saw Tebbon mention a trip to Moscow. »