Algeria addresses descendants of New Caledonia deportees, announces special measures
via Algérie3603 min read
The issue of Algerians deported to New Caledonia by colonial France has resurfaced, with their descendants seeking stronger ties to their ancestral land. This renewed attention follows a report by Algerian influencer Mehdi Chettah and recent parliamentary initiatives. Abdelouahab Yagoubi, a diaspora Member of Parliament, submitted a written question to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in March, highlighting the forced deportation of over 2,000 Algerians to New Caledonia, where more than 15,000 of their descendants now reside. Yagoubi criticized the lack of local consular representation, forcing these individuals to rely on services in Paris, located 16,700 kilometers away. He advocated for the recognition of their Algerian identity and requested a concrete plan to address the consular presence. In response, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirmed the Algerian authorities' commitment to the descendants of those deported by French occupation to New Caledonia and other regions. The ministry outlined a three-pronged strategy focusing on human, historical, and institutional aspects, including integrating descendants into national commemorations and inviting them to major events like the Intra-African Trade Fair in September 2025. Regarding consular services, Ahmed Attaf announced that descendants can now access services through the Algerian embassy in Australia, eliminating the need to travel to Paris. The article details the historical context of these deportations, stemming from
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Since its launch in 2023, Algeria's visa on arrival program has attracted nearly 39,000 foreign tourists from 120 different nationalities. This initiative, available to visitors of the Grand South traveling through approved agencies, has stimulated the local economy and created jobs in the southern wilayas. The Minister of Tourism and Handicrafts, Houria Meddahi, convened a coordination meeting to assess the program's impact and identify ways to enhance Algeria's appeal, particularly in its Saharan regions. The mechanism, established by presidential decision in 2023, allows foreign tourists to obtain their visa directly at border posts upon arrival, provided they use an approved Algerian tourism agency. The agency submits the visa application via digital platforms before the visitor's physical arrival, with the visa duration matching the planned stay. Meddahi emphasized that this program is crucial for facilitating access to Algeria, strengthening the attractiveness of the Saharan destination, and diversifying target tourist markets. The presence of these 39,000 tourists has generated significant local economic activity in accommodation, transport, guiding, and handicrafts, creating direct and indirect jobs for local populations. The diversity of nationalities, totaling 120, indicates a broad geographical reach, attracting travelers from traditional European markets as well as new Asian and African clienteles to sites like Djanet, Tamanrasset, and Timimoun. This aligns with A
Must ReadThe European Union has issued an ultimatum to five Caribbean nations—Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Lucia—demanding they cease their citizenship-by-investment programs within two years or face the reintroduction of visa requirements for the Schengen Area. These programs, which allow individuals to acquire citizenship for investments starting at $200,000, are a significant financial resource for these countries. The EU has set a deadline of June 1, 2028, for their termination. The Organization of Eastern Caribbean States confirmed that each of the five countries received a letter last month outlining the new European regulations. Prime Ministers of the affected nations met in Dominica and announced plans for a collective response, including a high-level mission to Brussels to meet with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President António Costa, and other EU officials. The EU has long expressed concerns that these programs, which can grant citizenship for investments as low as $100,000, lack sufficient vetting of applicants, potentially facilitating money laundering, terrorism financing, identity fraud, and illegal immigration. Brussels and Washington also believe these micro-states lack the resources to effectively investigate applicants from distant regions like the Middle East, Eastern Europe, or Central Asia, posing a security risk for visa-free travel. The EU maintains a firm stance: without prompt
A high-level Congolese delegation, led by Denis Christel Sassou Nguesso, Minister of Cooperation and Development of Public-Private Partnership of the Republic of Congo, arrived in Algiers on Monday, July 20, 2026. The delegation met with Algerian Minister of Industry Yahia Bachir to discuss industrial cooperation. The visit, scheduled until July 22, focuses on strategic sectors including construction materials, steel, and mechanical engineering. Key Algerian public industrial groups, such as GICA, AGM, Elec El Djazaïr, and a representative from MADAR holding, participated in the discussions. The two nations aim to establish pragmatic partnerships based on mutual benefit and resource utilization, with a focus on joint projects, skill transfers, and mobilizing economic operators. Algeria's industrial expertise, particularly in cement, mechanics, and electricity, is seen as a model for Congo's industrial development. This initiative aligns with a broader South-South cooperation and African economic integration agenda, as Algeria seeks to strengthen its role as an industrial leader on the continent. The visit is part of a series of diplomatic engagements by Algeria to foster bilateral agreements with African partners, building on previous collaborations in energy and other sectors.