France removes its ambassador to Algeria from the foreign service
A government decision was issued in the French Official Gazette today, Friday, to permanently remove its ambassador to Algeria, François Gouette, from the diplomatic corps.
Observers linked the French government's decision to the case of activist Amira Bouraoui
And the French government’s decision stated that, “By order of the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, dated February 10, François Gouyet, Minister Delegate, is allowed to claim his pension rights, within age limits, as of August 31, 2023.”
The decision added that "starting from this date, François Gouyet will be removed from the diplomatic corps."
The French Foreign Ministry did not mention any reason for the decision to retire Ambassador Gouyet, while observers link his "dismissal" from the diplomatic corps to the case of activist Amira Poiroy, which caused a new crisis between Algeria and Paris.
What reinforces the second hypothesis of the French decision is that Algeria accuses “diplomatic, consular and security personnel of the French state” of participating in the “secret and illegal evacuation of an Algerian national whose presence on the national territory is considered necessary by a decision of the Algerian judiciary.”
The source added that "in this official memorandum, Algeria rejects this unacceptable and indescribable development," which causes "great damage" to Algerian-French relations.
In 2020, Ambassador Francois Guyet received credentials to succeed his predecessor, Xavier Driancourt, after a long period spent in the French diplomatic service in the Arab and Islamic region.
The case of activist Amira Bouraoui took on the dimensions of a diplomatic crisis after Algeria's decision to recall its ambassador in Paris for consultations. The French Foreign Ministry had commented on the file by saying that it had "addressed this issue by providing protection to a French citizen in a framework that was not out of the ordinary."
Source : websites