Algeria imposes trade curbs on France over Sahara recognition

In the first half of 2024, trade between Algeria and France saw a slight dip after three years of steady growth.

According to Le Figaro, the Algerian Association of Banks and Financial Institutions, a public entity that acts on behalf of the government to oversee trade, gathered local banks on Monday, November 4, to communicate a new directive: Import and export transactions with France are to be halted in response to France’s recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara.

The source indicated that this directive was delivered verbally by an organization that lacks the official authority to impose such a significant measure, and no formal statement has been released. A summary document of the meeting’s proceedings has circulated widely but remains unsigned.

Le Figaro also noted that if this directive is confirmed by Algerian authorities, it would effectively mean a suspension of trade relations between France and Algeria.

Prior to this decision, Algeria had already excluded French firms from a wheat import tender last month, instructing bidders not to include wheat of French origin. This echoes a similar move by Algerian authorities in 2022, when they suspended trade with Spain following Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s endorsement of Morocco’s stance on the Sahara.