The President of Algeria, Abdelmadjid Tebboune has described as ‘inadmissible’ comments made by French president Emmanual Macron and demanded respect from the government of their former colonial masters.
Speaking to members of the country’s national press on Sunday, 10th October, 2021, Mr. Tebboune noted that “France should forget that Algeria was once a colony because now it has become a country with all its pillars, strong army and economy“.
“Looks like France still has the colonial hangover and has forgotten that Algeria is a sovereign state and no longer its colony!” he said.
His remarks came days after Macron’s remarks to French daily Le Monde criticizing what he called the “official history” which Algeria had written for itself, saying it was “not based on truths.” Macron’s comments to the French daily was widely picked up by Algerian media.
The French president reportedly was quoted to have questioned whether there was an Algerian nation before French colonization? and equally described Algerian president Tebboune as being “trapped in a system which is very tough”. Macron’s comments were however which slammed and described by many as “vitriolic”.
The situation has also led to strained diplomatic relations between the two countries, resulting in the recall of Algerian ambassador from Paris as well as the closure of Algerian airspace to French military aircraft involved in operations against Islamist militants in the Sahel region.
The return of Algerian ambassador to France is conditional based on the total respect for the Algerian state and its people, Tebboune told local media on Sunday.
Background
At the end of September, France said it would sharply reduce the number of visas it grants to citizens of Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia, accusing the former French colonies of not doing enough to allow illegal immigrants to return.
French media had previously reported that courts had rejected 7,731 Algerian visa requests in the first six months of this year but travel passes had not been granted.
It can also be recalled that, last year, Macron tasked French historian Benjamin Stora to assess how France has dealt with its colonial legacy in Algeria. The report was however rejected by the Algerian government, citing the lack of objectivity in the process and the failure of the report to capture the official recognition by France of war crimes and crimes against humanity, perpetrated during the 130 years of the occupation of Algeria.
France and its colonies
For almost a century and a half France maintained a substantial colonial empire in Africa, stretching from the Maghreb through the Western and Central sub-Saharan regions. Though direct rule ended in the early 1960’s, French influence over its former possessions continued. Through political, security, economic and cultural connections, France has attempted to maintain a hegemonic foothold in Francophone Africa, both to serve its interests and maintain a last bastion of prestige associated with a legacy of past mastery.
