French interior minister visits Algeria amid strained ties

ALGIERS, Algeria / ISTANBUL

French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez arrived in Algeria on Monday for a two-day official visit amid strained relations between the two countries.

A brief statement by the Algerian Interior Ministry said Nunez was welcomed by his Algerian counterpart, Said Sayoud, upon arrival at Houari Boumediene Airport.

The statement did not specify for how long Nunez will stay in Algeria, but French media reported that the visit will last for two days.

No details were provided about the visit’s agenda, which comes amid strained diplomatic and political relations between Algeria and France.

Diplomatic ties between the two countries have been strained for months over issues related to the French colonial era and migration.

In July, the two countries downgraded their representation to chargé d’affaires level after Paris endorsed Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara – a proposal Algeria opposes, backing instead the Polisario Front’s demand for a referendum on self-determination.

The last visit by a French government official to Algeria was in April 2015, when Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot visited the capital and met President Abdelmadjid Tebboune.

The two sides agreed at the time to restore bilateral communication channels and cooperation on various issues, including security issues. However, tensions, including the arrest of an Algerian consular employee in Paris, brought relations back to a standstill.

Last month, the Algerian parliament ratified a bill criminalizing French colonization of Algeria (1830-1962).

*Writing by Rania Abushamala in Istanbul