Wayne Lumbasi
France and Algeria have agreed to restore a high level security cooperation framework, French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez announced on Tuesday following a two-day visit to the Algerian capital. The visit, which brought together senior officials from both sides, comes amid efforts to rebuild trust after relations hit their lowest point in decades.
Arriving in Algiers on Monday, Nunez was welcomed by his Algerian counterpart and met with President Abdelmadjid Tebboune to discuss shared concerns ranging from counterterrorism to irregular migration. In a joint statement, Nunez said France and Algeria had worked “to restart normal security relations” and “to reactivate a very high level security cooperation mechanism.”
At the centre of the agreement is the reactivation of cooperation in judicial, police and intelligence matters, a return to the operational ties that had been paused amid deteriorating diplomatic relations. The goal, officials said, is to strengthen coordination against crossborder threats such as terrorism and organised crime, and to make security cooperation more robust and responsive.
Nunez also thanked President Tebboune for instructing Algerian services to collaborate more closely with French authorities on issues of migration, particularly the readmission of Algerian nationals living irregularly in France, a pressing concern that had previously stalled cooperation. Algeria had refused such readmissions for months, deepening tensions between the two countries.
The revived security ties are expected to take effect “as quickly as possible” and to operate at a very high level, Nunez said, adding that both sides would continue to address shared security challenges with urgency and mutual interest. Images released by Algerian authorities showed the delegation of highranking security officials present during the talks, underscoring the practical priority of this renewed partnership.
The resumption of cooperation comes against the backdrop of an extended diplomatic rift between Paris and Algiers that began in earnest in 2024. Relations soured over a series of political disputes, including France’s recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, a position strongly opposed by Algeria, and disagreements over diplomatic expulsions and migration policy.
Both countries have acknowledged that broader political and diplomatic issues remain unresolved, but officials on both sides have framed this renewed security cooperation as a practical first step toward rebuilding more stable bilateral ties. Analysts say that while the agreement does not resolve deeper historical and geopolitical differences, it creates a foundation for more constructive engagement on matters of mutual concern.
As Nunez concluded his visit, French and Algerian authorities expressed cautious optimism, with leaders hopeful that this new momentum in security collaboration might pave the way for progress on other sensitive issues from migration to legal and diplomatic disputes.
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