France's Socialist President Francois Hollande is taking his first state visit this week, and it is to Algeria. As a student, Hollande spent a few months at the French embassy in the Algerian capital. There, he was surrounded by friends of Algerian origin, such as Faouzi Lamdaoui, who directed his presidential election campaign. Hollande apologized for the 1961 killing in Paris of Algerian detainees, who were there to support the independence of their country. Since Jacques Chirac, every French president upon assuming his post has tried, and failed, to launch a new era of bilateral relations. The history of the two countries with French colonialism in Algeria and the one million martyrs who fell during the War of Independence have always been obstacles between France and Algeria. Algerians have always been concerned with what happens in France, and always read French newspapers and watch French television shows. They often love French food, such as cheese, and they often carry French cheese in their suitcases when they return to Algeria. The Algerians have always called for making visa procedures easier, even though Paris issued 200,000 visas to Algerians during 2012, and more are always requested. Despite all of this, Algerians continue to be suspicious of French intentions and there is never any mutual trust, even though there is a big community of French with Algerian origins, and they constitute a large part of the working class in various French industries. However, the problem is always that there are old-generation French who come up with useless ideas and laws. During the term of Chirac, who was truly determined to improve relations with Algeria, a French MP once proposed putting in schoolbooks that France's history in Algeria was positive. This resulted in anger by Algerians, and France withdrew the law. President Nicolas Sarkozy tried to give a new push to economic relations between France and Algeria but failed, even though there is extensive bilateral trade. However, investments remain weak. Trade is easier because Algeria needs to import everything but investment has not taken off because doing business in Algeria is difficult, especially for the French who want to invest there. There is bureaucracy and red tape in the economic sector, which makes a country rich in oil and gas and hard currency reserves that exceed $150 billion, a place that does not give hope to its young people. Unemployment among young people is about 30 percent, out of 36 million Algerians. Algeria is a beautiful country that could use the beauty of its beaches and deserts for a tourism sector that does not exist because of the temperament of Algerians, who do not like to offer services that encourage tourism. There are big hotels but service is below international tourism standards, while Morocco, a poorer country, has succeeded in tourism and services. The mobile phone service in Algeria is very bad and all means of modern communication are from the stone age, because the Soviet model of a socialist economy exhausted Algeria's own economy. It is true that there is a free press and media, which certainly allows the people to vent their steam. It is also true that President Bouteflika has distributed money to cities and his people since the Arab uprisings began around him in Tunisia and Libya. He has launched new housing and road projects, but Algeria continues to suffer from the problem of its people wanting to leave for France, Canada and the United States. Meanwhile, tourists do not want to visit because the tourism and hospitality services and facilities are not present in Algeria, not just for the French but for tourists in general. Hollande truly intends to improve bilateral relations, just as Chirac before him. However, the truth is that France and Algeria need young people on both sides of the Mediterranean to overcome the suspicions that have been generated by French colonialism. In general, Algerians must soften their harsh temperament and reduce their traditional sharpness toward visitors to the country; they require a state that truly brings them into the modern age. There is suspicion by the Algerian authorities, from the president on down, that all problems come from France, or those whom they accuse of being foreign agents. This suspicion should disappear and be replaced by self-criticism, to improve the performance of the state so that the people benefit from their natural and financial resources.
