France and Algeria resumed diplomatic dialogue on Sunday after months of bickering that have hurt Paris’ economic interests in its former colony, seen mutual accusations of humiliation and stalled vital security cooperation.

Ties between Paris and Algiers have been complicated for decades, but took a turn for the worse last July when Macron angered Algeria by recognising a plan for autonomy for the Western Sahara region under Moroccan sovereignty.

French officials say Algiers is adopting a policy that aims to wipe France’s economic presence from the country, with trade falling by as much as 30% since the summer.

A poor relationship has major security, economic and social repercussions: trade is extensive and some 10% of France’s 68 million population has links to Algeria, according to French officials.

“It is in the interest of France and the French people to be able to get results in terms of migration, judicial, security and economic cooperation,” Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told lawmakers on April 1.

Barrot arrives in Algiers on Sunday for a day of talks. That comes after a call between President Emmanuel Macron and his Algerian counterpart Abdelmadjid Tebboune on March 31, during which the two agreed to a broad roadmap to calm tensions.

French officials say Algiers has put obstacles to administrative authorisations and new financing for French firms operating in the country. Nowhere has it been felt more than in wheat imports.

Traders say the diplomatic rift led Algerian grains agency OAIC to tacitly exclude French wheat and firms in its import tenders since October. OAIC has said it treats all suppliers fairly, applying technical requirements.

France has only shipped one wheat vessel to Algeria in the 2024/25 season, a single cargo of 30,000 tons wheat in July. That compares with several million tons annually in recent years.

“People are talking about it but they’re waiting to see what impact this has on the ground,” a French grain trader said of Barrot’s trip.

“We could definitely do with another buyer for our wheat.”