Paris has reinstated its ambassador to Algiers, Stéphane Romatet, more than one year after he was recalled from the North African country. Romatet arrived in Algeria alongside Deputy Armed Forces Minister Alice Rufo, to attend the country’s commemoration of a 1945 French massacre of Algerian protesters. The move is widely viewed as an attempt to improve ties between Paris and Algiers. Tensions first arose between the two countries in 2024, when France disclosed its support for Morocco’s claim of sovereignty over Western Sahara. This contrasted with Algeria’s support for the Polisario Front, an organization that seeks independence from Rabat for the region’s Sahrawi people. Both sides will view Romatet’s return as an opportunity to improve relations between their peoples.
France 24
