Setting the US aside, Europe and North Africa are intrinsically linked by more than just a rich history and unique geographical proximity, affording both regions plentiful opportunities to foster shared values and pursue similar strategic interests. This year alone, North Africa stands at a precipice vis-a-vis Libya’s quarrelsome political quagmires and heightened uncertainty over Tunisia’s back-sliding democratization, as well as escalating tensions between regional rivals Algeria and Morocco. Washington’s view on North Africa naturally evolved from an unchanging perception that the region only has a few, manageable threats to American interests. For decades, the US and Europe have had complementary, not necessarily shared, approaches to North Africa. One dramatic consequence that has brought North Africa back to the fore in European policy discourse since 2011, at least, is migration.

Source: The North Africa Journal July 18, 2022 18:22 UTC