Algeria summons French envoy to protest visa curbs

By Abdulrazzak Abdullah

ALGIERS (AA) – Algeria summoned the French ambassador to lodge a protest on Wednesday after the French government announced it will slash the number of visas for North African countries, including Algeria.

Chakib Kaid, the Foreign Ministry’s secretary general, conveyed Algeria’s grievances to French envoy Francois Gouyette, read a ministry statement.

He said the French government’s “unilateral decision … was issued without coordination with the Algerian side,” which raises questions about “its motives” and implementation.

Paris announced on Tuesday it will reduce the number of visas available to people from Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia, accusing the governments of the North African countries of refusing to take back irregular migrants expelled from France.

According to French media, orders were issued to deport 7,731 Algerians between January and July this year, but Algerian authorities provided consular documents required for repatriation for just 31 individuals.

*Writing by Bassel Barakat in Ankara