Évian Accords
Encyclopedia
The Évian Accords comprise a treaty
which was signed in 1962 in Évian-les-Bains
, France
by France
and the F.L.N.
(Front de Libération nationale). The Accords put an end to the Algerian War with a formal cease-fire proclaimed for March 19, and formalized the idea of cooperative exchange between the two countries. Then French president Charles de Gaulle
wanted to maintain French interests in the area, including industrial and commercial primacy and control over Saharan oil reserves
. In addition, the European French community (the colon population) in Algeria was guaranteed religious freedom and property rights as well as French citizenship with the option to choose between French and Algerian citizenship after three years. In exchange, Algeria received access to technical assistance and financial aid from the French government. Algerians were permitted to continue freely circulating between their country and France for work, although they would not have equal political rights to French citizens. The OAS
right-wing movement opposed the negotiations through a series of bombings and an assassination attempt against General de Gaulle at Le Petit Clamart.
The agreements included an article which stated that "Algeria concedes to France the use of certain air bases, terrains, sites and military installations which are necessary to it [France]." The agreement specifically permitted France to maintain its naval facilities at Mers-el-Kébir
(which also had an underground nuclear testing facility) for another fifteen years; in the event, however, France chose to withdraw from the base in 1967, after only five years.
held on 8 April 1962, the French electorate approved the Accords, with 91% in favour. On 1 July, the Accords were subject to a second referendum
in Algeria, where with 5,975,581 voted for independence and just 16,534 against. De Gaulle pronounced Algeria an independent country on 3 July.
Treaty
A treaty is an express agreement under international law entered into by actors in international law, namely sovereign states and international organizations. A treaty may also be known as an agreement, protocol, covenant, convention or exchange of letters, among other terms...
which was signed in 1962 in Évian-les-Bains
Évian-les-Bains
Évian-les-Bains or Évian is a commune in the northern part of the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
by France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and the F.L.N.
National Liberation Front (Algeria)
The National Liberation Front is a socialist political party in Algeria. It was set up on November 1, 1954 as a merger of other smaller groups, to obtain independence for Algeria from France.- Anticolonial struggle :...
(Front de Libération nationale). The Accords put an end to the Algerian War with a formal cease-fire proclaimed for March 19, and formalized the idea of cooperative exchange between the two countries. Then French president Charles de Gaulle
Charles de Gaulle
Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle was a French general and statesman who led the Free French Forces during World War II. He later founded the French Fifth Republic in 1958 and served as its first President from 1959 to 1969....
wanted to maintain French interests in the area, including industrial and commercial primacy and control over Saharan oil reserves
Oil reserves
The total estimated amount of oil in an oil reservoir, including both producible and non-producible oil, is called oil in place. However, because of reservoir characteristics and limitations in petroleum extraction technologies, only a fraction of this oil can be brought to the surface, and it is...
. In addition, the European French community (the colon population) in Algeria was guaranteed religious freedom and property rights as well as French citizenship with the option to choose between French and Algerian citizenship after three years. In exchange, Algeria received access to technical assistance and financial aid from the French government. Algerians were permitted to continue freely circulating between their country and France for work, although they would not have equal political rights to French citizens. The OAS
Organisation armée secrète
The Organisation de l'armée secrète was a short-lived, French far-right nationalist militant and underground organization during the Algerian War . The OAS used armed struggle in an attempt to prevent Algeria's independence...
right-wing movement opposed the negotiations through a series of bombings and an assassination attempt against General de Gaulle at Le Petit Clamart.
The agreements included an article which stated that "Algeria concedes to France the use of certain air bases, terrains, sites and military installations which are necessary to it [France]." The agreement specifically permitted France to maintain its naval facilities at Mers-el-Kébir
Mers-el-Kébir
Mers-el-Kébir is a port town in northwestern Algeria, located by the Mediterranean Sea near Oran, in the Oran Province.-History:Originally a Roman port, Mers-el-Kébir became an Almohad naval arsenal in the 12th century, fell under the rulers of Tlemcen in the 15th century, and eventually became a...
(which also had an underground nuclear testing facility) for another fifteen years; in the event, however, France chose to withdraw from the base in 1967, after only five years.
The Vote
In a referendumFrench Évian Accords referendum, 1962
A referendum to approve the Évian Accords ending the Algerian War and granting self determination to Algeria was held in France on 8 April 1962...
held on 8 April 1962, the French electorate approved the Accords, with 91% in favour. On 1 July, the Accords were subject to a second referendum
Algerian Évian Accords referendum, 1962
A referendum on the Évian Accords was held in Algeria on 1 July 1962. It followed French approval of the Accords in a March referendum. The results in Algeria were 99.72% in favour and just 0.28% against. Voter turnout was 91.88%. As a result of the vote in favour, France declared Algeria to be...
in Algeria, where with 5,975,581 voted for independence and just 16,534 against. De Gaulle pronounced Algeria an independent country on 3 July.
The Negotiators
- Delegation of the Front de libération nationale (FLN)
- Krim BelkacemKrim BelkacemKrim Belkacem was an Algerian revolutionary fighter and politician....
- Saad DahlabSaad DahlabSaad Dahlab was an Algerian nationalist and politician. A long-time national activist, he played a part in virtually all the early Algerian nationalist movements: L'Étoile Nord-Africaine , the Parti du Peuple Algérien and the Mouvement pour la Triomphe des Libértes Démocratiques , all of them...
- Seghir Mostefaï
- M'Hamed Yazid
- Ahmed FrancisAhmed FrancisAhmed Francis was an Algerian politician and nationalist.After studying medicine in Paris, France, Francis returned to Algeria where he became involved with the movement for Algerian rights headed by his relative, the moderate nationalist Ferhat Abbas...
- Taieb BoulahroufTaieb BoulahroufTaïeb Boulahrouf , an Algerian politician and militant nationalist during the Algerian war of independence.-Birth and youth:Tayeb Boulahrouf was born on April 9, 1923 in the region of Oued Zenati...
- Mohammed Seddik Ben YahiaMohammed Seddik Ben YahiaMohammed Seddik Benyahia was an Algerian politician. Militant nationalist during the war in Algeria. After the independence he became the Minister of Information , Higher Education , Finance , and of Foreign Affairs .-Early life: He was born on January 30, 1932 in Jijel...
- Redha MalekRedha MalekRedha Malek was Prime Minister of Algeria from August 21, 1993 to April 1994. In his short term of office, which came in the early years of the Algerian Civil War, he pursued a hardline anti-Islamist policy and successfully negotiated debt relief with the International Monetary Fund , following...
- Kaïd AhmedKaïd AhmedKaïd Ahmed was an Algerian nationalist and politician-Early life:Born on March 17, 1921 at Tiaret, Si Ahmed was born into a family of small landowners installed in Sidi Belgacem. Sidi Belgacem is located in the town of Tagdempt not far from Mina and on lands of the former capital of Emir Abdelkader...
(Commandant Slimane) - Commandant Mendjli
- Krim Belkacem
- French delegation
- Louis JoxeLouis JoxeLouis Joxe was a French statesman, judge and politician.-Career:* Ambassador of France to the USSR * Ambassador of France to the Federal Republic of Germany...
- Bernard Tricot
- Roland Cadet
- Yves Roland-Billecart
- Claude Chayet
- Bruno de Leusse
- Vincent Labouret
- Jean Simon (general)
- Hubert de Seguins Pazzis (lieutenant-colonel)
- Robert BuronRobert BuronRobert Buron was a French politician and Minister of Finance from 20 January 1955 to 23 February 1955 and Minister of Public Works, Transport, and Tourism during Charles de Gaulle's third term from 9 June 1958 to 8 January 1959.Buron was born in Paris, where he also died. He was kidnapped during...
- Jean de BroglieJean de BrogliePrince Jean Marie François Ferdinand de Broglie was a French politician.Born in Paris, he was one of the negotiators of the Évian Accords....
- Louis Joxe