Algeria has expressed its desire to revise the association agreement with the European Union, considering that it must be fairer for both parties. This statement was made by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ahmed Attaf, during the celebration of the National Diplomacy Day. Algeria aspires to a partnership that is balanced and profitable, free from restrictions and obstacles, promoting sustainable economic development.
This Algerian insistence on revising the agreement, signed in 2002 and implemented since 2005, reflects persistent dissatisfaction. According to Algerian leaders, the agreement has not stimulated foreign investment or promoted employment and economic growth in the country. President Abdelmadjid Tebboune specified that the revision negotiations will begin in 2025, in a spirit of flexibility and friendship.
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Algeria’s approach may, however, be surprising and prove problematic given its current economic situation and its political landscape. The Algerian economy is showing signs of slowing down, marked by dependence on hydrocarbons and weak foreign investment. These difficulties are accentuated by a political context marked by a democratic deficit and tense diplomacy with several states, including its neighbors, France, Spain, as well as a cold relationship with Russia. Thus, the revision of the agreement with the EU can be seen as an attempt to remedy internal problems, but it comes up against a policy considered hazardous by international institutions due to the socio-economic problems that the country has been experiencing for several years.
The Algerian approach to revising the association agreement with the European Union, although justified by the need to establish a more favorable partnership, also reflects the economic and diplomatic challenges weighing on the country, which is isolating itself increasingly on the international scene.
