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News in brief

Algiers' Defiant Move: Refusing Repatriation Amid Diplomatic Spat with Paris

Saturday 10 August 2024 - 12:00

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In a striking development that has sent ripples through the international community, Algeria has taken an unprecedented step in its ongoing dispute with France over the Sahara issue. The North African nation is now refusing to accept its own deported nationals from France, effectively weaponizing illegal immigration as a means of retaliation against its former colonial power.

This startling revelation, first reported by the esteemed French publication Le Canard Enchaîné, has exposed a new facet of the escalating tensions between Algiers and Paris. The magazine's exposé details how undocumented Algerians, expelled from French territory, are now caught in a diplomatic crossfire, denied entry to their homeland and left in a state of bureaucratic limbo.

The catalyst for this drastic measure appears to be French President Emmanuel Macron's recent endorsement of Morocco's Autonomy Plan for Sahara. This move by France has incensed Algerian authorities, who view it as a betrayal of neutrality in the long-standing regional dispute.

Algeria's Foreign Minister, Ahmed Attaf, did not mince words in his critique of France's position. In a strongly-worded statement, he characterized the recognition of Moroccan claims over Sahara as an ill-conceived gesture, asserting that it would only serve to prolong the current impasse in resolving the conflict.

The Algerian government's response has been swift and multifaceted. Beyond the refusal to accept deported nationals, Algiers has also recalled its ambassador to Paris, signaling a significant downturn in diplomatic relations between the two nations.

This is not the first time Algeria has employed such tactics in response to perceived slights over the Sahara issue. In March 2022, following Spain's support for Morocco's Autonomy Plan, Algeria recalled its ambassador to Madrid and unilaterally terminated a long-standing Friendship Treaty with Spain.

However, Algeria's diplomatic approach has been marked by inconsistency. Samira Sitail, Morocco's ambassador to France, highlighted this discrepancy in a recent interview, questioning why Algeria did not take similar retaliatory measures against the United States when Washington recognized Morocco's sovereignty over its southern provinces in December 2020.

This inconsistency has not gone unnoticed by international observers. Some experts have characterized Algeria's diplomatic maneuvering as erratic and improvisational, raising questions about the nation's credibility on the global stage.

Moreover, Algeria's forceful reactions to countries supporting Morocco's position stand in stark contrast to its repeated claims of being a mere observer in the Sahara conflict. Despite these assertions, Algeria continues to host and support the Polisario Front, providing logistical and financial backing to the separatist movement.

The United States has consistently urged Algeria to engage fully in the UN-led political process and support efforts to find a lasting solution to the Sahara issue. However, given the current trajectory of events, it remains to be seen how this diplomatic standoff will unfold.

As the situation continues to develop, the international community watches with bated breath. The ramifications of this dispute extend far beyond the borders of Algeria and France, potentially impacting regional stability and international relations in North Africa and beyond.