Algeria slams France over visa restrictions, warns of reciprocal measures
Algeria’s Foreign Ministry accuses Paris of breaching a 2013 visa exemption accord for diplomats, further straining already tense bilateral relations
ALGIERS, ALGERIA (MNTV) — Algeria issued a sharp rebuke to France over what it described as a “flagrant breach” of a bilateral 2013 agreement that exempts holders of diplomatic and service passports from visa requirements, amid growing tension between the two nations.
The response follows reports in French right-leaning media over the weekend, which claimed—citing unnamed official sources—that France had imposed new visa requirements on Algerian officials carrying diplomatic passports.
In a statement, Algeria’s Foreign Ministry said it viewed the move with “great astonishment,” accusing French authorities of altering visa policy through unofficial and opaque channels, reported Algerian media.
“French discourse on this matter appears to be taking a strange and suspicious turn, characterized by orchestrated media leaks to selectively chosen outlets by the French Interior Ministry and the National Police Directorate,” the ministry stated.
Algeria further denounced what it described as a breakdown in established diplomatic protocol, emphasizing that Paris had not issued any formal notification through diplomatic channels, as stipulated by Article 8 of the 2013 Algerian-French visa agreement.
“It is evident that French decisions are now being communicated through unofficial channels, in a flagrant breach of established diplomatic norms and a clear violation of the 2013 agreement,” the ministry said.
In response, Algeria warned that it would apply the principle of reciprocity “strictly and precisely,” proportional to the extent of France’s “breach of its commitments and obligations.”
The ministry also accused the French government of attempting to suspend the agreement while evading responsibility for the political consequences.
“The French government seems to be moving toward freezing or suspending the 2013 agreement while attempting to evade responsibility and the consequences of such action in a flagrant violation of the agreement,” the statement said.
Diplomatic relations between Algeria and France have been fraught in recent months, strained by ongoing disputes over consular policies, political rhetoric, and security cooperation.
Algeria views France’s influence within its borders—and more broadly across Africa—as an increasing challenge to its national sovereignty and as detrimental to the interests of local populations, characterizing it as exploitative in nature.
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