New crisis between Paris and Algiers: Algeria closes its airspace to French military aircraft

The colonial question has always played a major role in relations between France and Algeria. The actions committed by the French during the colonial era in the North African country directly condition present-day ties, often provoking diplomatic crises between Algiers and Paris.

The architect of the latest escalation of tension between the two countries was, precisely, a statement by French President Emmanuel Macron on the colonial past. The French leader made a series of statements to the newspaper Le Monde that have caused great controversy in Algeria.

Macron told the French newspaper that Algeria's "official history" had been "totally rewritten". The past, according to the president, has been "totally rewritten" by the "political-military system" that controls the country. Macron has also pointed out that history "is not based on truths", but "on a discourse of hatred towards France". "Was there a nation of Algeria before French colonisation?" he asked.

Algeria gained its independence from France in 1962 after a violent military confrontation that left a very high death toll. Decades later, despite Paris' attempts to improve relations, the events of the past still constitute a major factor hindering the fluidity of Franco-Algerian relations.

For its part, the Algerian presidency has already expressed its "categorical rejection of the unacceptable interference in its internal affairs, as expressed in these declarations which entail an unacceptable attack on the memory of 5,630,000 martyrs who sacrificed their lives in the heroic resistance against the French colonial invasion, as well as in the blessed war of national liberation," it said in a statement. 

"This unfortunate intervention fundamentally contradicts the principles that should govern any Algerian-French cooperation in matters of memory," it stressed. "Nothing and no one can absolve the colonial powers of their crimes," he added. From the Algerian perspective, it is essential that Paris recognise and apologise for the crimes committed during the colonial era.

"France must recognise its crimes of genocide against Algerians since 1830," Algerian historian Mohammed al-Amin Balghaith told Turkey's Anadolu Agency. Hassen Kacimi, director of migration at the Algerian Interior Ministry, also stresses that "the question of memory is very sensitive in Algeria because it touches the history, soul and identity of the Algerian people". 

As it did with Morocco after suspending diplomatic relations, Algeria has banned French aircraft from its airspace. A spokesman for the French armed forces said Algeria had closed its airspace to two flights, but that it would have "no major consequences" for operations in the Sahel, France24 reported. The French army often uses the Algerian air route to reach the African region, where it conducts counter-terrorism missions.

"This morning, when we submitted the flight plans of two planes, we did not learn that the Algerians had stopped flights over their territory by French military aircraft," Pascal Ianni, a spokesman for the armed forces, told AFP. 

In addition to the airspace closure, Algiers has recalled its ambassador to France, Mohamed Antar Daoud, for "unacceptable interference". This is the second time that the Algerian government has recalled its ambassador to Paris. In 2020 it did so after French television broadcast a documentary on the Hirak protest movement.

All this comes shortly after France announced the withdrawal of visas for Algerian citizens, another decision that further worsens relations between the two countries. Algeria's foreign ministry called the Paris move "a unilateral decision by the French government". It also summoned the French ambassador to protest against the decision, which "affects the quality and fluidity of movement of Algerian nationals to France".

Gabriel Attal, spokesperson for the French government, defended the Elysée's decision, arguing that Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia 'refuse to accept citizens that we do not want or cannot keep in France'. He also claimed that the decision was taken after a month of failed diplomatic efforts with the three Maghreb countries.