A Note from the North Africa Program
Launched this Summer, the North Africa Program moved quickly to establish itself as a credible and trusted voice on the Maghreb and the Sahel. This momentum reflected the team’s deep regional expertise and sustained engagement with the political, economic, and security dynamics shaping North Africa.
Over a short period, the program introduced the Maghreb Weekly digest, launched the North Africa Insights commentary series, and successfully inaugurated an Ambassador Series that brought senior regional diplomats into direct conversation with Washington policy audiences. Together, these initiatives expanded the program’s visibility, strengthened its networks, and positioned it as a reliable hub for timely, policy-relevant analysis on North Africa.
As we close the year, I want to thank our readers, partners, and colleagues for their continued engagement and support. As we close the year, I want to thank our readers, partners, and colleagues for their continued engagement and support. In 2026, we will build on the program’s initial foundation by sharpening our analytical focus and situating North Africa more deliberately within its broader geostrategic context. This approach will examine the Mediterranean, North Africa, and the Sahel as a connected space shaped by shared political, economic, and security dynamics. We aim to offer a more integrated perspective that reflects how regional developments increasingly intersect and reverberate across these theaters. We aim to offer a more integrated perspective that reflects how regional developments increasingly intersect and reverberate across these theaters.
This edition marks our final North Africa Weekly of 2025. We will resume on January 7, continuing our regular coverage of developments across North Africa and the Sahel.
By Hafed Al-Ghwell, Senior Fellow and Director, North Africa Program
To see how this work fits within Stimson’s broader institutional efforts, we invite you to explore the Center’s 2025 Year in Impact.
From protests in Tunisia and the African Development Bank securing historic funding to the crisis in Sudan and shipping giant Maersk restarting Red Sea transits—explore the latest developments shaping North Africa and the Sahel’s political, economic, and security landscapes.
Read the North Africa Weekly on LinkedIn or join the conversation on X: @StimsonNAfrica
On Our Radar
The headlines shaping politics, security, and economics across North Africa and the Sahel.
AL JAZEERA
Tracking Sudan’s humanitarian crisis by the numbers
A data-driven overview of Sudan’s war shows millions displaced, widespread hunger, collapsing health services, and one of the world’s fastest-growing humanitarian emergencies.
REUTERS
Tunisian opposition joins forces to protest against President Saied
Opposition parties and civil society groups coordinated nationwide protests demanding political
freedoms and democratic restoration as pressure mounts on President Kais Saied.
NEWSFILE CORP
Libya positions itself at the heart of Africa’s gas future as LAIGF 2025 kicks off in Tripoli
Libyan officials and investors used the Libya Africa Investment and Gas Forum to promote the country as a strategic gas hub connecting African production with Mediterranean markets.
ANADOLU AGENCY
Algerian parliament opens debate on bill criminalizing French colonization
Algeria’s parliament began debating legislation that would criminalize French colonial actions, highlighting renewed historical tensions with France and domestic political signaling.
THE GUARDIAN
Morocco: Gen Z protests met with mass arrests, beatings and detentions
Rights groups report widespread arrests and alleged abuses during youth-led protests in Morocco, raising concerns about policing tactics and limits on dissent.
REUTERS
Over 1,000 civilians killed in Sudan’s Darfur when paramilitary group seized camp, UN says
The UN reports that RSF forces killed more than 1,000 civilians during the takeover of a displacement camp in Darfur, underscoring the scale of atrocities in the conflict.
REUTERS
Sudan’s militia advances could trigger new refugee exodus, UNHCR chief warns
The UN refugee chief warns that renewed RSF advances risk driving another mass displacement wave into already overstretched neighboring countries.
REUTERS
US imposes sanctions on network it accuses of fueling war in Sudan
Washington announced new sanctions targeting individuals and entities it says are financing and supplying Sudan’s paramilitary forces.
FRANCE 24
France urges its nationals to leave Mali amid worsening security situation
French authorities advised citizens to leave Mali immediately as security conditions deteriorate and foreign nationals face heightened risk.
MAGHREBI
Algeria records drop in unemployment despite ongoing challenges
Official data show a decline in Algeria’s unemployment rate, though analysts warn that structural issues and job quality remain significant concerns.
UN PRESS RELEASE
Security Council warned of worsening instability across the Sahel
The UN Security Council was briefed on political upheaval, humanitarian strain, and violent
extremism spreading across Sahel countries.
THE NATIONAL
Libya plans to raise oil output to 1.6 million bpd next year
Libya aims to significantly increase oil production through redevelopment of aging fields, despite persistent political and security uncertainty.
THE ARAB WEEKLY
Fifteen years on, Tunisia confronts economic strains and political divides
An anniversary assessment of Tunisia’s post-2011 trajectory highlights economic stagnation, political polarization, and public disillusionment.
AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK
AfDB approves €747 million loan for Algeria railway project
The AfDB approved major financing for the Laghouat–Ghardaia–El Menéa railway, aimed at improving connectivity and supporting Algeria’s economic diversification.
REUTERS
West African oil struggles to find buyers as global surplus builds
Oil producers in West Africa face difficulties securing buyers as global supply outpaces demand, pressuring prices, and export revenues.
BUSINESS INSIDER AFRICA
Egypt signs $200 million deal with Qatar to produce aviation fuel from waste
Egypt and Qatar agreed on a project to convert used cooking oil into sustainable aviation fuel, supporting clean-energy goals and industrial development.
BUSINESS INSIDER AFRICA
African Development Bank secures $11 billion in historic fund
The AfDB announced the largest replenishment in its history, strengthening its capacity to finance infrastructure, climate adaptation, and development projects.
BUSINESS INSIDER AFRICA
Burkina Faso releases 11 air force personnel after Nigerian delegation visit
Burkina Faso freed detained air force members following high-level talks with Nigeria, signaling diplomatic engagement amid regional military tensions.
BUSINESS INSIDER AFRICA
Israel’s largest export deal ever heads to Africa
Israel finalized its largest-ever export agreement with Egypt, underscoring deepening trade and defense ties.
FINANCIAL AFRIK
Tunisia’s long-term external debt reaches nearly 76 billion dinars
Tunisia’s external debt continued to climb in 2024, adding pressure to public finances amid weak growth and fiscal constraints.
AFRICA NEWS AGENCY
Morocco, Burkina Faso sign 12 agreements to strengthen South–South cooperation
The two countries signed cooperation deals covering energy, training, and development,
reinforcing Morocco’s growing role in African partnerships.
THE AFRICA REPORT
Exclusive: Benin coup leader Tigri flees to neighbouring country
The alleged leader of a failed coup attempt in Benin has fled abroad, raising concerns over lingering instability and accountability.
THE AFRICA REPORT
America First health deals spark row over Africans’ medical privacy
U.S.-backed health partnerships are drawing criticism over data privacy, sovereignty, and patient protections across African countries.
FINANCIAL TIMES
Marsalek’s Missing Millions: The Unraveling of a Secret Libyan Empire
FT investigation sheds light on Wirecard fraudster’s activities in North Africa and shadow life as a Russian agent of influence.
AL-MONITOR
Maersk resumes Red Sea passage after two-year halt
Shipping giant Maersk restarted Red Sea transits as Houthi threats eased, restoring a critical
trade route affecting Egypt and regional ports.
AL-MONITOR
Egypt lands $572m UAE-backed solar deal
Egypt secured a major UAE-backed solar investment, expanding Gulf influence in the country’s clean-energy sector.
AL-MONITOR
Turkey seeks two-year extension of Libya troop mandate
Turkey requested an extension of its military mandate in Libya, signaling continued involvement in the country’s security and political balance.
AL-MONITOR
World Cup spending boosts Morocco stocks
Investor optimism around World Cup-related infrastructure spending has lifted Moroccan equities, particularly in construction and services.
AL-MONITOR
Saudi Arabia cements ties with Sudan during Burhan visit
Saudi Arabia strengthened relations with Sudan’s military leadership amid intensifying regional rivalries involving the UAE.
Reports & Analysis on the Region
Deeper dives from experts, think tanks, and research institutes.
COMMENTARY
Africa in Washington’s lens: Myopia, transactionalism, and aggressive disinterest
Stimson Center North Africa Program Director Hafed Al-Ghwell writes on U.S. policy toward Africa, arguing that short-term transactional engagements and uneven attention have weakened long-term strategic partnerships and failed to address foundational governance and security challenges.
COMMENTARY
Reality Dose: Libya’s False Unity
Stimson Center North Africa Program Director Hafed Al-Ghwell writes on how Libya’s unity is a political fiction masking entrenched fractures, rival power centers, and a decade of failed state-building.
COMMENTARY
Women bear the brunt of Libyan collapse
Stimson Center North Africa Program Director Hafed Al-Ghwell writes for Arab News on violence against women in Libya, characterized by unchecked killings, the normalization of abuse, and institutions hollowed out to the point where protection is more fiction than function.
COMMENTARY
Is AI truly a game-changer for Africa?
Stimson Center North Africa Program Director Hafed Al-Ghwell writes on AI in Africa, arguing that powerful algorithms alone won’t rewrite the continent’s development story. Transformation will occur with the right infrastructure, policy, and talent.
COMMENTARY
South Sudan’s ruling elites rely on instability for survival
Director Hafed Al-Ghwell writes for Arab News on how South Sudan’s slide toward, yet another civil war will not be the result of state weakness alone but a byproduct of a political order that survives by keeping the country unsettled.
COMMENTARY
Reconsidering the 1968 Franco–Algerian Accord
Stimson Center North Africa Program Deputy Director Lana Bleik writes on the 1968 agreement between France and Algeria, exploring its historical context and long-term implications for diplomatic relations, economic ties, and political narratives between the two countries.
COMMENTARY
Moroccan electoral reform: A new formula for good governance?
Stimson Center North Africa Program Non-Resident Fellow Ambassador Mohamed Ali Chihi assesses the recent electoral reforms in Morocco, focusing on how changes to the vote allocation system and party incentives might strengthen representation, competitiveness, and accountability.
COMMENTARY
Morocco’s two-speed reality
Stimson Center North Africa Program published an analysis arguing that Morocco’s economic and social development is advancing unevenly, with modernizing urban centers pulling ahead while rural and marginalized regions continue to lag.
COMMENTARY
How the Middle East and North Africa can benefit from adaptive climate governance
Chatham House analysis argues that adaptive, flexible climate governance can help MENA countries manage water scarcity, extreme heat, and food insecurity while strengthening political legitimacy and institutional resilience.
COMMENTARY
The race for renewable in the Middle East and North Africa
The IISS article examines how rising energy and water consumption in construction is accelerating investment in renewables, particularly in North Africa, as governments seek to reduce costs and emissions.
COMMENTARY
West Africa needs regional solutions to combat escalating Sahel security crisis
This Chatham House piece argues that fragmented national responses are failing to contain Sahelian violence and calls for stronger regional coordination on security, governance, and resource management.
COMMENTARY
Is Iran’s “axis of resistance” turning toward Tunisia?
This Atlantic Council analysis explores whether Iran-backed networks are seeking influence in Tunisia, assessing ideological, political, and security implications.
COMMENTARY
Algeria: A country at odds with itself
This Eurasia Review analysis argues that Algeria’s political system and economic model are increasingly misaligned with social expectations, discouraging reform and investment.
REPORT
The diplomatic battle for Western Sahara
A NATO Foundation briefing on the intensifying diplomatic competition over Western Sahara, focusing on Morocco’s gains, Algeria’s response, and shifting international positions.
REPORT
Egypt country profile
A World Nuclear Association comprehensive overview of Egypt’s nuclear energy plans, infrastructure, regulatory framework, and long-term power-generation strategy.
COMMENTARY
Unlocking capital markets for sustainable growth: Morocco’s strategy
This World Bank analysis outlines how Morocco is deepening capital markets to finance infrastructure, climate projects, and long-term growth.
COMMENTARY
Escaping the Cycle of Conflict in Libya
This Chatham House piece argues that Libya’s cycle of conflict cannot be broken through political power-sharing deals alone; instead, economic governance must be elevated to a formal, equal “track” within peace negotiations, actively mediated and treated as inseparable from political settlement efforts.
Upcoming Events
Key briefings and conferences to watch.
2026 IMF MENA Research Conference – “Rethinking MENA Integration in a Fast-Changing Global Environment”
An International Monetary Fund (IMF) announcement and call for papers for a research conference to be held June 29–30, 2026 at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University in Rabat, Morocco, inviting work on trade and financial integration, macroeconomic policy under new external shocks, digitalization, energy, and regional cooperation.
Tune In
Hear the latest insights from regional experts.
A Conversation with H.E. Sabri Boukadoum, Ambassador of Algeria to the United States
The Stimson Center’s North Africa Program hosted Ambassador Sabri Boukadoum to discuss Algeria’s reforms, regional security, and U.S.–Algeria relations.
A Dialogue with H.E. Nadia Fettah Alaoui: Navigating Morocco’s Path to Growth and Resilience
Stimson Center’s North Africa Program hosted a conversation with H.E. Nadia Fettah Alaoui, Morocco’s Minister of Economy and Finance on the country’s economic agenda, global engagement, and relationship with the IMF and World Bank.
Unlocking the Next Stage: Rethinking Growth Strategies
Stimson Center North Africa Program Deputy Director Lana Bleik participated in a panel at the 14th edition of The Atlantic Dialogues, hosted by the Policy Center for the New South hosted in Rabat, Morocco.
Key Takeaways from Doha Forum 2025
Stimson Center North Africa Program Director Hafed Al Ghwell attended two Stimson and Global Institute for Strategic Research co-sponsored dialogues at this year’s Doha Forum focused on Governance in the region.
At an inflexion point
This SBM Intelligence podcast discusses political and security turning points across Africa, with a focus on governance breakdowns, regional instability, and economic pressure points.
Job Opportunities
Career moves, fellowships, and calls for applications—all in one place.
SIPRI
Sahel–West Africa Researcher Position (Solna, Sweeden)
An announcement for a fully funded researcher post at SIPRI focused on Sahel and West Africa security dynamics, offering a 12-month research track.
United Nations
Humanitarian Affairs Officer (Rabat, Morocco)
A United Nations vacancy seeking a humanitarian affairs professional to support coordination, reporting, and response planning in crisis-affected settings.
Arab Barometer
Senior Programmer (Washington, DC & Remote)
Arab Barometer announced an opening for a senior programmer to support survey infrastructure and data platforms.
Arab Barometer
Research Analyst (Washington, DC & Remote)
The organization is seeking a research analyst to contribute to survey analysis, reporting, and regional public-opinion research.
