Dear Friends & Colleagues,
This week marks the official launch of the North Africa Program at the Stimson Center, reaffirming a long-standing commitment to incisive scholarship and strategic policy engagement on the Maghreb and its global relevance. In addition to critical developments across migration, security, and climate resilience, this edition spotlights Algeria’s reclassification as an upper-middle income country—underscoring the long-term impacts of state-led investment, social redistribution, and sustained improvements in human development.
Hafed Al Ghwell
Senior Fellow and Director
North Africa Program
Read the North Africa Weekly on LinkedIn or join the conversation on X: @StimsonNAfrica
On Our Radar
The headlines you need to follow across North Africa.
ARAB NEWS | FROM THE DIRECTOR’S DESK
Africa’s Debt Crisis Demands Self-reliant Solutions
The Vatican’s Jubilee Report accurately diagnoses the systemic failures trapping developing African countries in acute debt distress. However, its reliance on unprecedented global creditor cooperation and unreformed international institutions are demonstrably unworkable, demanding African-led interventions.
REUTERS
Turkey, Italy and Libya Leaders Discuss Mediterranean Migration Route, Cooperation
Turkey, Italy, and Libya discussed curbing Mediterranean migration while deepening defense and energy ties amid regional rivalries.
REUTERS
Trump Reaffirms Support for Morocco’s Sovereignty Over Western Sahara
Trump reaffirmed U.S. backing for Morocco’s Western Sahara sovereignty, endorsing its autonomy plan as the sole solution amid tensions with Algeria-backed Polisario.
AFRICA DEFENSE FORUM
Entire Villages Disappear as Malians Flee Terror
Turkey, Italy, and Libya discussed curbing Mediterranean migration while deepening defense and energy ties amid regional rivalries.
POLITICO
Top EU Official: We Must Work with Libyans to Stop Putin Weaponizing Migrants
EU warns Putin may weaponize migration via Libya, pushing for talks with Russia-backed warlord Haftar despite tensions.
THE DEFENSE POST
Sudan Accuses UAE of Bringing in Colombian Mercenaries to Support RSF
Sudan alleges UAE deployed Colombian mercenaries to back RSF in its brutal war, fueling foreign proxy accusations amid a spiraling humanitarian crisis.
ARMY RECOGNITION
Egypt Enters Turkish Kaan Fighter Jet Program with Co-production Plans
Egypt joins Türkiye’s Kaan fighter jet program, securing technology transfer and co-production to advance its aerospace capabilities and reshape regional defense dynamics.
THE AFRICA REPORT
10 Things to Know About Trump’s AFRICOM Chief Dagvin Anderson
Newly confirmed AFRICOM chief Anderson, prioritizes countering China’s military expansion and terrorist threats across Africa.
REUTERS
Israel’s Leviathan Signs $35 Billion Natural Gas Supply Deal with Egypt
Israel secured a landmark $35 billion agreement to supply Egypt with up to 130 billion cubic meters of natural gas through 2040, in a boost to Egypt’s persistent energy crisis.
ECCO
Between Gas and Renewables: Italy and Algeria’s Twin-track Cooperation
Italy and Algeria sign 40+ energy agreements boosting gas supply and green hydrogen projects, challenging EU decarbonization goals.
LIBYA UPDATE
Libya Among the World’s Top 5 Most Promising Reconstruction Markets
Libya’s IMF-projected 17.3% economic surge in 2025 is fueled by reconstruction spending, including a $14 billion fund and major infrastructure projects, drawing intense international investor focus.
WORLD BANK
Algeria’s Ambitious Path for Development
Algeria advances to upper-middle income status via statistical overhaul and posts world-leading gas flaring cuts, marking key development strides.
LE POINT
Algerian Diplomacy, At Ease in International Tensions
Algeria maintains strategic independence while avoiding formal alliances and leveraging its energy resources and non-aligned stance in a fractured world.
LE POINT
“He Sided with Retailleau”: Macron’s U-turn Seen from Algeria
Macron’s tightened visa rules targeting Algeria prompt diplomatic fury as France’s ruling party courts right-wing voters ahead of elections.
Reports & Analysis on the Region
Deeper dives from experts across the region.
REUTERS
Russia Futures
Russia is leaning into its Global South and China ties to offset Western isolation, but demographic decline, energy overdependence, and an aging population threaten its future power. Three paths lie ahead: militarized stasis, deepening China alignment, or a pivot to broader global partnerships.
COMMENTARY
2025 BRICS Summit: Takeaways and Projections
BRICS expands amid global divisions, pushing multilateral reforms on climate finance and IMF quotas while resisting U.S. tariff threats. Brazil and South Africa use G20/COP30 roles to advance group goals despite internal policy differences.
REPORT
To the Boiling Point? The MENA Region in the Eye of Climate Change
MENA’s worsening water crisis exacerbates instability as drought strains resources, cripples agriculture, and inflames regional tensions from Morocco to Iran.
ARTICLE
Economic Statecraft as Geopolitical Strategy: New Dimensions of Moroccan-Algerian Rivalry
Morocco and Algeria escalate their zero-sum rivalry by using energy exports, and migration controls as geopolitical weapons, fueling tensions and instability.
ARTICLE
Preventing Backsliding in New Democracies
Fragile democracies face heightened backsliding risks as U.S. support wanes and institutional weaknesses persist.
REPORT
Levels of Government and Administrative Boundaries in Libya’s Future Local Governance System
Global headwinds from trade tensions and uncertainty hamper emerging economies’ job creation and poverty reduction, demanding both international cooperation and domestic reforms to attract investment and build resilience.
REPORT
Arabic Republic of Egypt: Selected Issues
Egypt confronts transition risks from heavy natural gas dependence while pursuing ambitious renewable expansion to meet climate targets and mitigate economic exposure.
REPORT
African Trade Report 2025: African Trade in a Changing Global Financial Architecture
Africa’s industrialization push faces reshaped trade dynamics as global fragmentation and tariff wars intensify policy uncertainty.
REPORT
Working for Egypt — 2025 Portfolio Snapshot
Egypt drives reforms with World Bank backing, boosting jobs, youth/women empowerment, and social safety nets.
BOOK
Libya Since Qaddafi: Chaos and the Search for Peace
An inside account of conflict, collapse and innovative approaches to reconstruction in Libya’s challenging post-2011 landscape.
Stephanie T. Williams
Former U.N. Senior Official & U.S. Diplomat
Published by Hurst | April 2025 | 320 pages ISBN: 9781911723806
Tune In
Hear directly from experts, regional voices, and thought leaders shaping North Africa’s future.
PODCAST
The GERD Water Dispute and its Impact on Egypt’s Water Security
Egypt’s water security fears clash with Ethiopia’s Nile dam ambitions, fueling regional tensions over the river’s future.
AVAILABLE ON SPOTIFY & APPLE PODCASTS
VIDEO
Coastal Erosion Accelerates in Tunisia, Threatening Livelihoods
Along Tunisia’s southern Mediterranean coast, rising seas and coastal erosion are threatening entire communities.
