Algeria summons French envoy as diplomatic row over visas deepens

Algeria summoned France’s top diplomat in Algiers on August 27 to protest remarks made by the French Embassy regarding visa procedures, marking the latest escalation in a growing diplomatic standoff between the two countries.

The dispute erupted after the French Embassy announced on August 26 that it would cut its diplomatic staff in Algeria by one-third starting in September, citing Algeria’s refusal to approve visas for new French personnel, Caliber.Az reports, citing Moroccan media.

In a sharply worded response, Algeria’s Foreign Ministry accused Paris of resorting to “blackmail” tactics over the visa issue and said it completely rejected the embassy’s public statement.

Algerian officials reprimanded the French representative, warning that the embassy had overstepped diplomatic boundaries by addressing the Algerian public directly. They also accused France of distorting the situation to place sole blame on Algiers for blocking staff appointments.

The French Embassy had claimed that deteriorating relations between the two nations forced it to reduce personnel at its missions in Algiers, Oran, and Annaba, warning that the downsizing would affect visa processing for Algerian applicants.

But Algerian authorities pushed back, saying their decision to block the appointment of French staff was made only after France refused to grant approval for Algerian diplomats. They stressed that they had sought to resolve the matter through dialogue before taking reciprocal action.

Algeria’s Foreign Ministry said France’s conduct violates international diplomatic norms, adding that 46 Algerian diplomatic and consular employees have been unable to assume their posts in France for more than two years due to Paris’s refusal to grant authorisation. The ministry emphasised that this prolonged delay is disrupting services for Algerians living in France.

The diplomatic rift traces back to July 2024, when relations soured after France formally recognised Morocco’s sovereignty over the disputed Western Sahara region, a move that deeply angered Algiers and triggered a series of retaliatory measures.

By Tamilla Hasanova