Extradiciones y represión: la palanca de Argelia en las negociaciones con Francia

The Algerian state news agency published a subliminal message to the French government, on the eve of the President of the Republic's official visit to Algiers. According to an APS (Algérie Press Service) piece, several Algerian civil associations call on Macron to put an end to "organisations present in France that incite hatred and terrorism among Algerians".

APS, without giving further details about these civil associations, quotes the communiqué as saying "Following our meeting on 22 August 2022 and on the occasion of the forthcoming visit of the President of France to Algeria, we call on the President of the French Republic to put an end to intrusive associations, which act under the guise of democracy, the defence of human rights and freedom of expression, taking advantage of their presence in France to spread a discourse of hatred, violence and incitement to terrorism among Algerians and state institutions, with the aim of undermining the stability and security of Algeria, which will inevitably lead to a deterioration of the situation in North Africa and the Mediterranean basin".

For the Moroccan media outlet Le 360, there is no turning back. The communiqué refers to several Algerian journalists and journalists who are taking refuge in France from the political persecution of the Tebboune-Chengriha pairing. These include Algerian-born blogger Amir Boukhors, known as Amir DZ, and Algerian journalists Hichem Aboud and Abdou Semmar, among others.

As revealed in October 2021 by Abdou Semmar, the three Algerians are on a list of opponents of the Algerian political-military regime. This list was sent by Algerian diplomacy to the French internal security services, as well as to the judiciary of the Republic. As denounced by Abdou Semmar, director of Algeria Part, Algeria's sole objective was to encourage the extradition of as many of the members of this list as possible back to Algeria, where many of them had been found guilty of crimes in unfair trials and in absentia.

The Algerian request coincided shortly after it was sent with the diplomatic crisis between Paris and Algiers over the issue of migrant returns, ministerial comments and visas. In this context, France responded that the dossier sent by the Tebboune government did not present sufficient evidence to satisfy Algeria's demands.

However, the reactivation of dialogue between France and Algeria and Macron's efforts to stabilise the Maghreb region could lead Paris to make some concessions to the Algerian government. In any event, the aptness of the Algerian state press agency suggests that, during Macron's visit, Tebboune and his foreign minister, Ramtane Lamamra, will play this card when it comes to passing the bill to the Elysée.

Macron faces a tough scenario in Algiers. A visit scheduled to last two days and loaded with sensitive issues shared by the Maghreb country and its former colonial power.

It remains to be seen whether the French president will be able to put an end to the hostilities between Algeria and Morocco on the table, in which Spain is also involved. The European Union, with its increasingly cohesive external action, should be able to work together to achieve these goals. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock held a telephone meeting with her Algerian counterpart yesterday. Germany, along with the European Commission, has been most in favour of reviving the Midcat gas supply project. The normalisation of relations between Spain, Morocco and Algeria would give a considerable boost to this gas project.