French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez arrived in Algeria on Monday afternoon for a two-day visit in order to restore warmth to relations between the two countries. Paris hopes that the visit will be an opportunity to reactivate security cooperation between the two capitals, amid ongoing diplomatic tensions. Gerald Darmanin was the last French Minister of the Interior to visit Algeria, at the end of 2022.
Published on: 02/16/2026 - 08:50Last updated: 02/16/2026 - 16:04
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The Algerian Ministry of the Interior said in a statement that “Minister of the Interior, Local Communities and Transport, Said Saioud, received the Minister of the Interior of the French Republic, Laurent Nunez, upon his arrival at Houari Boumediene International Airport,” publishing photos of the reception on its Facebook page.
This extremely sensitive visit was announced after an invitation sent by the Algerian Minister of the Interior to his French counterpart several months ago. Although it was delayed, it appears to be the first indication of a breakthrough.
On Friday, Nunez said: “I am heading to Algeria to hold a working meeting with my counterpart. Preparations (for the visit) have been made among the (concerned) teams at the technical level, and we are now moving to the political stage.”
Relations between the two countries have witnessed a strong deterioration since the summer of 2024, with France recognizing the autonomy plan “under Moroccan sovereignty” for Western Sahara, where the conflict has continued for fifty years between Rabat and the Polisario Front separatists supported by Algeria.
Read also: Algeria - France: A deepening crisis and an impossible dialogue?
Continue dialogue with the Algerian authorities on security issues
French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said: "I have always been confident of restoring security relations with Algeria (...) and this visit is the result of this position, which is to continue the dialogue with the Algerian authorities on security issues. It seems to me that this is necessary."
Environmental MP Sabrina Sibayhi, who met with the President of the National Assembly in Algeria, said that “there are positive signs from both sides.” She told Agence France-Presse: “On the one hand, we have the transfer of Christophe Glez to the outskirts of Algiers, and the Algerian president who says, ‘I will take back all my nationals.’ On our side, the Minister of the Interior says, ‘I will go there.’ Perhaps we are in a phase of calming the crisis,” explained the MP for the Hauts-de-Seine department.
"Mediation" by Ségolène Royal
Former Socialist Minister Ségolène Royal, who recently visited Algeria in her capacity as President of the France-Algeria Association, played the role of mediator during this visit, in a move aimed at "rebuilding the friendship between France and Algeria."
But the issue of the return of Algerian citizens illegally residing in France to their country is still the most sensitive, as Algeria has not accepted any of its citizens subject to the decision to commit to leaving French territory, according to a source familiar with the file.
It is noteworthy that the visit of the Minister of the Interior to Algeria took place at the end of 2022, when Gerald Darmanin visited it.
France 24/AFP
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