Victory Day - March 19
Victory Day, March 19, 1962, is commemorated in tribute to the diplomatic battle waged and won by the Algerian people. In other words, the entry into force of the ceasefire after seven years of ruthless war. In May 1961, negotiations were able to resume in Evian and were to lead to the second Evian conference, on March 7, 1962, where, in the agenda, it was a question of speaking, with regard to the Algerian delegation:
- the nature of the transitional government (between the ceasefire and the referendum on self-determination);
- conditions of consultation by referendum of the Algerian people. As for the French part:
- the interests of the European community in Algeria;
- the status of the Algerian Sahara; On March 18, 1962, France signed the agreements where it recognized the sovereignty of the Algerian State over Algeria and the Sahara after a consultation by referendum of the Algerian people.
The EVIAN Declaration
“The talks which took place in Evian from March 7 to 18, 1962 between the government of the (French) Republic and the FLN led to the following conclusion: a ceasefire is concluded. Military operations and armed struggle throughout Algeria will end on March 19. The guarantees relating to the implementation of self-determination and the organization of public authorities in Algeria during the transitional period have been defined by mutual agreement. The formation, following the self-determination of an independent and sovereign State appearing to be consistent with Algerian realities (...), the French government believes with the FLN that the solution of the independence of Algeria in cooperation with France is the one which corresponds to this situation. The government and the FLN have therefore jointly defined this solution in declarations which will be submitted for approval to voters during the self-determination vote.”
Extract from the general declaration of the Algerian and French delegations in Evian.
- the nature of the transitional government (between the ceasefire and the referendum on self-determination);
- conditions of consultation by referendum of the Algerian people. As for the French part:
- the interests of the European community in Algeria;
- the status of the Algerian Sahara; On March 18, 1962, France signed the agreements where it recognized the sovereignty of the Algerian State over Algeria and the Sahara after a consultation by referendum of the Algerian people.
The EVIAN Declaration
“The talks which took place in Evian from March 7 to 18, 1962 between the government of the (French) Republic and the FLN led to the following conclusion: a ceasefire is concluded. Military operations and armed struggle throughout Algeria will end on March 19. The guarantees relating to the implementation of self-determination and the organization of public authorities in Algeria during the transitional period have been defined by mutual agreement. The formation, following the self-determination of an independent and sovereign State appearing to be consistent with Algerian realities (...), the French government believes with the FLN that the solution of the independence of Algeria in cooperation with France is the one which corresponds to this situation. The government and the FLN have therefore jointly defined this solution in declarations which will be submitted for approval to voters during the self-determination vote.”
Extract from the general declaration of the Algerian and French delegations in Evian.