On February 17, 2026, French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez visited Algeria, marking a significant step towards the resumption of security cooperation between France and Algeria after a prolonged period of diplomatic tension. During his meeting with President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Nunez announced that both nations had agreed to "reactivate a high-level security cooperation mechanism," which includes judicial, policing, and intelligence collaboration. This agreement comes in the wake of strained relations following France's recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara in 2024, a move that Algeria vehemently opposed. Nunez emphasized the urgency of restoring normal security relations, stating, "Monday had been devoted to working sessions aimed at restoring normal security relations," and confirmed that the renewed cooperation would take effect "as quickly as possible" and continue "at a very high level" (The Frontier Post, Le Monde).