The crisis between Paris and Algiers has now lasted three weeks, and each day that passes is an opportunity to see new sources of disputes arise between the two countries.
If the clash between France and Algeria officially opened on immigration issues – particularly on the sensitive point of the granting of visas after Paris announced, on September 28, wanting to reduce them by 50% due to the low rate of readmissions of Algerian nationals in an irregular situation – the reasons for the crisis appear much broader and deeper.
According to our information, the most sensitive issue today for France concerns the role of Algeria in Mali. Already on October 3, when the crisis was aggravated by the words of Emmanuel Macron reported by The world qualifying the Algerian regime as “Politico-military system (…) built on the memorial rent ”, Algiers had banned the overflight of its territory to French military planes en route to the Sahel.
But two weeks later, not only is this situation not resolved, but the Malian issue appears to be a key element that has exacerbated the crisis due to a tangible temptation, on the Algerian side, to support a dark scenario for Paris: a reinforcement the role of Russia in Mali.
Deterioration of the security situation in Mali
The Algerian sources interviewed never speak directly of a possible support for the contract which the Malian authorities say they are considering, for their part, with the controversial Russian mercenary company Wagner. The role of this same company in neighboring Libya does not, in fact, entirely coincide with their interests: Wagner works there for Marshal Haftar’s camp, which Algiers does not support.
But faced with the deterioration of the security situation in Mali, these interlocutors affirm that a reinforcement of the presence of Russia in this country would not be a foil. A scenario confirmed by a high level French source.
Algeria has always considered Mali, especially the north of the country – which was the first region to come under jihadist rule in 2013 – as its backyard. Algiers was the main mediator of the agreements signed in 2015 between Bamako and armed groups.
However, Mali is today plagued by jihadist cells even in the suburbs of its capital and the “Barkhane” operation has long been withdrawn in a very small part of the territory, in the center-east of the country, around Gao. The abandonment of the bases in northern Mali is above all administrative and logistical, the “Barkhane” force focusing for some time on the safeguard of countries located further south, such as Niger, Burkina Faso, and other states. residents of the Gulf of Guinea; where the main part of French economic interests actually lie.
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