Algerian President’s Visit to Paris Postponed

The sculpture of Emir Abdelkader located in Amboise, France [Guillaume Souvant/AFP]

A visit by Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune to Paris was postponed, French newspaper Le Figaro cited sources as saying.

According to information reported by the newspaper, the symbolic trip of the Algerian president, which was to take place on May 2- 3, has been postponed by mutual agreement without new dates being set.

Le Figaro added that the postponement was confirmed by French and Algerian sources who did not specify the reasons, but pointed to a “lack of preparation of files”.

Anne Marie Descôtes, Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, traveled to Algiers on Sunday, where she met with her Algerian counterpart, Ammar Ballani, to put the final touches on the preparations for the visit.

However, many observers had expected the trip to be adjourned due to the protests taking place in France over the government’s pension reforms.

French newspaper L’Opinion reported on Saturday that the visit was expected to take place between May 2 and 5, adding that the most important items on its agenda would include a speech that Tebboune would deliver before the National Assembly, over bilateral economic ties.

The speech was also expected to deal with the human dimension of the relations between the two countries, which is represented by the millions of Algerians residing in France, the French of Algerian origin, and generations of immigrants’ children.

Algeria is calling for greater flexibility in the French visa system, and for activating the agreement on the movement of persons between the two countries that dates back to 1968, which gives preference to Algerians wishing to pursue studies in French universities.

The agenda, which was agreed upon by senior officials in the two countries, includes a visit by Tebboune and French President Emmanuel Macron to the Amboise Palace in the heart of France, the location of a steel structure representing Emir Abdelkader, who was imprisoned in the same place in the 19th century, after popular revolutions he waged against the French invasion of Algeria.

Prince Abdelkader is considered the founder of the modern Algerian state and a symbol of tolerance between religions. He was known for defending the Christians of Syria in 1860 against persecution.