This is likely the first time, since the start of the crisis between Algeria and France, that a high-ranking French political figure has delivered such a strong and powerful speech, with clear, frank, and direct statements. During her visit to Algiers, Ségolène Royal, president of the France-Algeria Association, unveiled her ambitious crisis-exit plan between the two countries and, in the same breath, condemned the excesses of far-right currents, particularly the nostalgics of French Algeria who refuse or are unwilling to acknowledge Algeria’s “national sovereignty.”
Following an audience granted on Monday by the President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, the president of the France-Algeria Association made a statement in which she once again explained her approach to ending tensions between her country and Algeria.
“I came (to Algeria) to listen and learn in two areas: economic creativity and culture,” she emphasized, recalling that the Association for Friendship between France and Algeria works on “developing dialogue, friendship, exchange, mutual understanding, and the search for common perspectives.”
For Ségolène Royal, between France and Algeria, it is a “wounded history, marked by domination, unworthy violence, but also by struggles, resistance, intertwined destinies, families built between the two shores, common economic and cultural projects, partnerships, and potentials too often overlooked or unknown that we must highlight.”
It is from this observation that the former minister outlined her plan to build a relationship between the two countries based on mutual respect. In a message directed at extremist currents and politicians who foster hatred, xenophobia, and racism in France, Ms. Royal stated that “we must push back politicized posturing, provocations, and divisive speeches from those who do not want Algeria to advance and who still refuse to acknowledge Algeria’s national sovereignty, its diplomatic role in the world, its non-alignment decision, and its total freedom to choose its alliances and causes.” She declared: “I deeply respect that, and I hope that French authorities will eventually respect Algeria’s national sovereignty as well.”
Ségolène Royal affirmed that “repaired friendship between our countries and peoples must be realized—I wish this with all my heart—to build bridges of knowledge and respect through dialogue,” adding that “memory is neither a privilege nor inherited guilt, but the reality of wounds and confrontations that must be named, addressed, and apologized for, without any strings attached, so that it never happens again.”
For the former minister, “the first gesture France must make, which should have been done long ago, is the restitution of cultural goods and archives, and I will put all my energy into it. First, the objects of Emir Abdelkader and other Algerian figures,” she cited. She also advocated for the return of “the bones of all the martyrs (she pronounced the word in Arabic ‘shouhada’), kept at the Musée de l’Homme, so they can be honorably buried, as President Abdelmadjid Tebboune stated.”
Likewise, the president of the France-Algeria Association called for France to return “all the archives kept in Aix-en-Provence, which have been partially digitized and can thus be returned very quickly,” as well as “the Algiers cannon located in Brest,” also citing “the archives and complete file on nuclear tests in the Sahara to assess the extent of the damage and repair it.”
Ms. Royal indicated that she favors returning to the Algerian people “the objects that belong to them” and “that is what I will tell President Emmanuel Macron upon my return to urge him to act accordingly, as he had promised at the start of his term.”
“I would like to conclude with this beautiful thought from the Algerian Saint Augustine, born in Taghaste, who wrote: Truth is like a lion; set it free, it will defend itself,” calling “to free the truth of our pasts and build a new alliance through common projects, as equals.”
For Ségolène Royal, “rebuilding friendship between France and Algeria is a duty we owe first and foremost to the young generations on both shores, who only want to develop their projects together.”
Ségolène Royal will continue her visit until tomorrow. She plans to meet the Archbishop of Algiers, Cardinal Jean-Paul Vesco, as well as students from the National School of Artificial Intelligence, Mathematics, and Nanotechnology, and members of a startup in Hydra. On Monday evening, she met Kamel Moula, president of CREA, as well as members of this business organization