Rabat- French President Emmanuel Macron is visiting Algeria, from August 25 to 27, after accepting an invitation from Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune.
France announced in an August 20 press release that the meeting will aim to “deepen bilateral relationships turned towards a beneficial future for both populations, strengthen Franco-Algerian cooperation about regional stakes, and pursue the work of addressing the past.”
The diplomatic visit is happening a week after King Mohammed VI stressed in his speech for the 69th anniversary of the Revolution of the King and the People that “The Sahara issue is the lens through which Morocco looks at the world.”
“I therefore expect certain states among Morocco’s traditional partners, as well as new ones, whose stances concerning the Moroccanness of the Sahara are ambiguous, to clarify their positions and reconsider them in a manner that leaves no room for doubt,” King Mohammed VI said.
If the indirect invitation for France to reaffirm its position on the Western Sahara was loud and clear, Macron’s visit to Algeria is unlikely to produce Rabat’s desired answer from France.
Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, Algeria became a sought-after ally for European countries due to its large natural gas reserves.
Despite French indications that no gas deals were planned during the trip, the French energy group Engie’s director Catherine MacGregor is part of the diplomatic delegation.
According to 2020 Eurostat numbers, Algeria was the third largest exporter of natural gas to Europe.
If France is indeed hoping to boost its gas supply through a deal with Algeria, Paris is unlikely to voice any opinions supportive of Morocco’s position on the Western Sahara dispute.
Algeria’s state-owned gas giant Sonatrach recently threatened it could increase the price of its gas exports to Spain following Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez decision to endorse Morocco’s Autonomy plan as the most serious resolution of the conflict.
Since then, the Spanish gas group Enagas has reported a 41,11% decrease of Algerian gas imports for 2022’s first two quarters compared to last year.
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Another subject that could be discussed during the three days visit is the controversial reduction in visas put in place by the French government from September 2021 concerning Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia.
France decided to drastically cut the number of visas it issues, to demand Maghrebi countries facilitate the deportation of their citizens living without documentation in France.
France and Algeria said that they’re willing to discuss the matter. Paris reported that since March 2022, Algiers delivered 300 consular passes, far from the 17 passes delivered in 2021 in the same period.
Prominent Moroccan writer Taha Ben Jelloun published an opinion article in French paper Le Point, describing Macron as “obsessed” with mending France’s historically difficult relationship with Algeria.
The writer sees Macron’s visit as “sacrificing the good understanding with Morocco in the hope of obtaining from the Algerian military better dispositions towards his country.”
Tebboune said in a press conference after the first day of Macron’s visit that the two countries had discussed Libya, Mali, Sahel and Western Sahara “which requires joint efforts to consolidate regional stability.”
Mustapha Salma Ould Sidi Mouloud, former police chief of the Polisario Front and political dissident, wrote in a post on Facebook that statements issued during or after Macron’s visit to Algeria will not impact the situation in Western Sahara.
Both presidents described Macron’s visit as an “official visit of friendship,” but the discussions about “Franco-Algerian cooperation about regional issues” could have an impact on the Franco-Moroccan diplomatic relationship.
