French President Emmanuel Macron has expressed his willingness to meet Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and reopen dialogue amid ongoing tensions between the two countries.
Responding to a question about the possibility of meeting Tebboune on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in South Africa by the end of this week, Macron said he is committed to ensuring “a respectful, serious and calm dialogue.” He added that he is ready to engage “if the conditions allow progress,” noting that French diplomatic teams are already working on arranging such a meeting.
Hopes for a breakthrough in Algerian-French relations rose after Algeria released French-Algerian novelist Boualem Sansal, central to a recent diplomatic crisis. Sansal arrived in Paris on Tuesday and was received by Macron.
French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu welcomed the humanitarian pardon, granted by President Tebboune at the request of German President Steinmeier, and expressed hope for Sansal’s reunion with his family and access to medical care.
Relations between Algeria and France remain tense, particularly after France recognized Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara.
