French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot is visiting Algeria today, Agence France-Presse reported.
AFP notes that the visit reflects the improvement in bilateral relations after eight months of crisis that pushed the former French colony and its metropolis to the brink of rupture.
The French foreign minister held meetings with his Algerian counterpart Ahmed Attaf in an expanded format to discuss more delicate issues in bilateral relations. In the afternoon, Barrot was received by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, BTA specifies.
Barrot and Attaf had an "in-depth, frank and constructive meeting in line with the conversation between Presidents (Emmanuel) Macron and Tebboune", focusing on "regional issues and bilateral relations, including migration issues", a diplomat from the French delegation told AFP.
The agency points out that after months of crisis, France and Algeria restored their relations following a telephone conversation on March 31 between Macron and Tebboune. The two presidents expressed their desire for relations between their countries to be calm and balanced.
Barrot's visit aims to develop an "ambitious work program" and a timetable for its implementation, the French Foreign Ministry said.
The relationship between the two countries is marked by historical problems, as well as by modern migration challenges. Tensions have also been raised by the case of the French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal, who was sentenced last month to five years in prison in Algeria on charges of endangering the country's security because of his speech.