U.S.-North Africa Relations in an Era of Strategic Disruption

North Africa is navigating a period of acute strategic turbulence. The U.S.-Iran war and its regional aftershocks have reordered threat calculations across the Mediterranean region, reshaping the priorities of governments from Rabat to Cairo and testing the durability of longstanding U.S. partnerships in the region. At the same time, ongoing instability in Libya, contested governance in Tunisia, and deepening competition between external powers for influence in Algeria and Morocco have compounded the complexity of U.S. engagement at a moment when Washington’s attention is increasingly stretched.

Against this backdrop, the perspectives of former senior U.S. diplomats who have served in the region carry particular weight. Ambassadors Joey Hood and Elizabeth Aubin bring direct experience with the diplomatic, security, and political dynamics shaping U.S.-North Africa relations, from counterterrorism cooperation and energy interests to migration governance and the positioning of regional governments in an increasingly multipolar environment.

This event convenes two former senior U.S. diplomats for a candid conversation on the state of U.S.-North Africa relations. It will bring together policymakers, analysts, diplomatic community members, and regional experts to assess what is at stake for Washington in North Africa and what a coherent, adaptive U.S. approach might look like going forward.

Header image: The Sahrawi refugees. By European Commission DG ECHO