Rabat \u2013 France has officially suspended a bilateral agreement with Algeria that granted visa exemptions for holders of diplomatic and service passports.<\/p>\n
\u00a0The decision, published in the country\u2019s official gazette on August 19, comes in response<\/a> to Algeria\u2019s earlier decision to halt the implementation of the same accord.<\/p>\n Signed in Algiers on December 16, 2013, and enacted by Decree No. 2014-1003 on September 4, 2014, the agreement facilitated short-stay visa-free travel for Algerian and French officials. Algeria ceased applying its provisions on May 11, 2025.\u00a0<\/p>\n In line with the principle of reciprocity, France suspended the agreement on May 16, with the suspension formally taking effect <\/a>on August 7, 2025, as stipulated under Article 8 of the accord.<\/p>\n That same day, Algeria announced the termination of the agreement, portraying its move as a response to France\u2019s suspension. In a statement, the Algerian Foreign Ministry accused Paris of \u201cdistorting reality\u201d and attempting to deflect blame for the worsening state of bilateral relations.\u00a0<\/p>\n The ministry criticized a letter from French President Emmanuel Macron calling for the temporary suspension, claiming, \u201cit was France, and France alone, that initiated such a request. By deciding to suspend this agreement, France is offering Algeria<\/a> the perfect opportunity to, in turn, announce the outright termination of that very same agreement.\u201d<\/p>\n