The visiting French President could be seen waving at onlookers in Algeria's Oran city even as the slogan-shouting group continued with its protest.
Macron's trip follows months of tensions between Paris and the North African country, which earlier this year marked six decades of independence following 132 years of French rule.
(AFP)
A crowd has shouted slogans hailing Algeria during a visit by France's Emmanuel Macron to a city in the former French colony.
A video of the incident shows a group of people shouting "long live Algeria" while the French President — surrounded by security personnel — was on a crowded street in the northwestern city of Oran.
Macron could be seen waving at onlookers even as the slogan-shouting group continued with its protest. Macron then got into his car parked on the roadside.
He was on a three-day trip to the North African country that ended on Saturday.
The visit came less than two months after Algeria marked six decades of independence following 132 years of French rule and a devastating eight-year war.
Ties between Paris and Algiers have seen repeated crises over the years.
They had been particularly frosty since last year when Macron questioned Algeria's existence as a nation before the French occupation and accused the government of fomenting "hatred towards France".
Algeria withdrew its ambassador in response and banned French military aircraft from its airspace.
Diplomatic relations have since resumed, along with overflights to French army bases in sub-Saharan Africa.
READ MORE:Macron's remarks in Algeria 'unacceptable'
French President Emmanuel Macron was met by protests while visiting Oran, Algeria.
Crowds chanted "Long live Algeria" at Macron as his bodyguards rushed to get him into the vehicle.
According to the French press, Macron cut his visit short and left the city pic.twitter.com/SCFpimPEtL— TRT World (@trtworld) August 27, 2022
'History can't be written with lies'
On Saturday, France and Algeria signed a declaration for "renewed partnership" at the end of Macron's visit.
Macron and Algerian President Abdelmajid Tebboune signed the declaration in the capital Algiers for a "new, irreversible dynamic of progress" in relations between the two countries, state news agency APS reported.
The two leaders also signed five other agreements pertaining to different fields.
But the French President's visit was not universally welcomed by Algerians.
"History can't be written with lies...like the one that Algeria was created by France," read an editorial in the French-language Le Soir newspaper.
"We expected Macron to erase this gross untruth during this visit," it said, criticising him for a "lack of courage...to recognise his own faults and those of his country".
READ MORE:Macron calls for 'truth and recognition' of past to mend Algeria ties
Source: TRTWorld and agencies
While the Algerian side did not disclose the date of the visit, the Elysee Palace said President Emmanuel Macron will visit Algeria from August 25-27.
Macron's visit is being seen as an opportunity to mend strained ties between the two countries.
(Reuters)
French President Emmanuel Macron will pay an official visit to Algeria next week, the Algerian and French presidencies have announced.
In a phone call on Saturday, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and Macron discussed bilateral co-operation and the agenda of the upcoming visit.
Macron thanked Tebboune for the invitation and conveyed his condolences on the loss of lives in recent forest fires that ravaged northern Algeria.
While the Algerian side did not disclose the date of the tour, the Elysee Palace said Macron will visit Algeria from August 25-27.
"This trip will contribute to deepen the bilateral relationship...to strengthen Franco-Algerian co-operation in the face of regional issues and to continue the work of addressing the past," the French presidency said.
Macron's visit is being seen as an opportunity to mend strained ties between Paris and Algiers.
Tensions hit a new low last year after Macron questioned Algeria’s pre-colonial identity and France slashed the number of visas available to nationals from Algeria.
The North African country won its independence from France following an eight-year war in 1962.
Sixteen fires are still burning across seven districts but those in worst-hit eastern areas, El Tarf and Souk Ahras, are under control, officials say.
Residents inspect the damaged area of El Tarf region, near the northern Algerian-Tunisian border.
(AP)
Algerian firefighters have brought under control a string of forest blazes that have killed at least 38 people including 12 who died in a bus trapped by the flames.
Fire service spokesman Farouk Achour told the AFP news agency late on Thursday that 16 fires were still burning across seven districts but that those in the worst-hit eastern areas, El Tarf and Souk Ahras, were under control.
In Souk Ahras, a large crowd gathered to mourn five members of the same family who perished in the flames.
At least 38 people have been killed including more than 10 children and 10 firefighters, according to multiple sources, including local journalists and the fire service.
Most were in the El Tarf region near Algeria's eastern border with Tunisia, an area which has been sweltering in 48 degree Celsius heat.
At least 200 more people have suffered burns or respiratory problems, according to various Algerian media.
Annual scourge
Deadly fires have become an annual scourge in Algeria, where the climate crisis has turned large areas of forest into a tinderbox in the blistering summer months.
Authorities have been accused of being ill-prepared, with few firefighting aircraft available despite record casualties in last year's blazes and a cash windfall from gas exports amid soaring global energy prices.
Algeria had agreed to buy seven such aircraft from Spanish firm Plysa, but cancelled the contract following a diplomatic row over the Western Sahara in late June, according to specialist website Mena Defense.
Authorities have rented a Russian water bomber, but it broke down and is not expected to be operational again until Saturday, Interior Minister Kamel Beldjoud said. The civil protection service and the army have access to several firefighting helicopters.
'The forest is weakened'
On Thursday, Prime Minister Aimene Benabderrahmane defended the government's response, saying that the country had ordered four new firefighting aircraft –– but that they would not be available until December.
He added that strong winds had exacerbated the blazes and said authorities were "deploying all their means" to extinguish them.
Retired academic and forestry expert Rafik Baba-Ahmed said in a video published on social media that "winds of over 90 kilometres per hour make the work of water bombers difficult if not impossible".
He said bad land management had added to the problem, adding, "today, the forest is weakened. It has been chipped away at."
"We aspire to work with the Algerian presidency so that Morocco and Algeria can work hand in hand to establish normal relations between two brotherly peoples," says Mohammed VI.
Morocco and Algeria have long been at odds over the disputed territory of Western Sahara, where the Algiers-backed Polisario Front is seeking independence from Rabat's rule.
(AP Archive)
Morocco's King Mohammed VI has used an address to "once again" reiterate his openness to restoring ties with Algeria, which broke off diplomatic relations with Rabat last year.
"We aspire to work with the Algerian presidency so that Morocco and Algeria can work hand in hand to establish normal relations between two brotherly peoples," Mohammed said on Saturday during the traditional speech marking the anniversary of his accession to the throne.
"I stress once again that the borders that separate the Moroccan and Algerian brothers will never be barriers preventing their interaction and understanding."
He urged Moroccans to "preserve the spirit of fraternity, solidarity and good neighbourliness towards our Algerian brothers".
Referring to "allegations that Moroccans insult Algeria and Algerians", Mohammed said they were the work of "irresponsible individuals who are trying to sow discord".
"This gossip about Moroccan-Algerian relations is totally senseless and frankly appalling," he added.
Western Sahara dispute
Morocco and Algeria have long been at odds over the disputed territory of Western Sahara, where the Algiers-backed Polisario Front is seeking independence from Rabat's rule.
Algeria broke off diplomatic relations with Morocco in August 2021, accusing Rabat of "hostile acts".
The decision was "completely unjustified," Rabat said.
The disputed status of Western Sahara –– a former Spanish colony considered a "non-autonomous territory" by the United Nations –– has pitted Morocco against the Polisario Front since the 1970s.
Rabat, which controls nearly 80 percent of the territory, is pushing for autonomy under its sovereignty.
The Polisario Front, however, wants a UN-sponsored referendum on self-determination.
Morocco's sovereignty over the territory was backed by Washington in a 2020 deal that also saw Rabat normalise ties with Israel.
Algeria, which supports the Palestinian cause in addition to the Front, has taken the opportunity to criticise Morocco's growing military cooperation with Israel, which it refers to as the "Zionist entity".
The king also used Saturday's speech to pledge reform of the family code in favour of women's rights, social protections and price controls at a time of rising inflation.
The reformist king, 58, has ruled Morocco since July 1999, when he succeeded his father, Hassan II.
