North Africa

North Africa

The North Africa region, sometimes called the Maghreb, holds strategic and political importance for the United States and Europe with its geographic crossroad between Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Destabilized by the tumultuous uprisings of the Arab Spring, the developments in these countries are reasons for concern as well as hope, as different political, security, and economic conditions take shape in each country.

Featured commentary & analysis

No Final Decision on US Plans to Train Libyan Military

MENASource
May 7, 2026

Egypt’s bet on land monetization

By
Amir Asmar

There’s little doubt that Egypt’s land development efforts will have measurable economic benefits, but they are unlikely, by themselves, to put the country’s economy on a solid footing.

North & West Africa

No Final Decision on US Plans to Train Libyan Military

MENASource
Apr 9, 2026

Egypt’s foreign minister: One cannot secure waterways ‘while ignoring the political order of the states’ along the shore

By
Maisoon H. Kafafy

Maisoon H. Kafafy reached out to Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty for his thoughts on this turbulent moment and the instability in the Horn of Africa.

East Africa
Ethiopia

No Final Decision on US Plans to Train Libyan Military

MENASource
Mar 31, 2026

Can France and Algeria get their relationship back on track?

By
Karim Mezran

There are signs of a thaw between Algeria and France; however, there appears to be no real political strategy for redefining the relationship.

France
North Africa

Programs

Perspectives on North Africa

The North Africa Initiative at the Atlantic Council’s Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East analyzes the strategic, political, and economic importance of the region for the United States and its allies. Since the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings, North Africa has undergone political and economic transformations that have impacted stability and security in the region. With its geographic crossroad between Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, North Africa continues to be an integral partner in addressing shared interests and concerns.

Learn more about the Middle East programs

Middle East Programs

Working with our allies and partners in Europe and the wider Middle East to protect US interests, build peace and security, and unlock the human potential of the region.

EXPLORE THE ATLANTIC COUNCIL’S MIDDLE EAST PROGRAMS

Content

Libyan milita

NATOSource

Nov 19, 2013

No Final Decision on US Plans to Train Libyan Military

By New York Times, Reuters, and AP

From Thom Shanker, New York Times:  The United States military is considering a mission to train Libyan security personnel with the goal of creating a force of 5,000 to 7,000 conventional soldiers and a separate, smaller unit for specialized counterterrorism missions

Libya Security & Defense

MENASource

Nov 19, 2013

Lina Attalah on the Sisi Mania in Egypt

By MENASource

The hypernationalism that has taken hold in Egypt centers around the oft-touted Nasser-like saviour of a nation, General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. One can hardly to walk the streets of Cairo without catching some glimpse of homage paid to the General in the form of chocolates, posters, or even provactive internet videos.

North Africa

MENASource

Nov 19, 2013

Happy Birthday, General

By Lina Attalah

“Where else have you seen Sisi today?” This is the question around which Sisi Fetish, a new contribution to Egypt’s thriving landscape of political satire, was born. The blog sheds light on how the popularity of Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, commander in chief of Egypt’s Armed Forces, is expressing itself these days in a variety of quotidian […]

North Africa

MENASource

Nov 19, 2013

Libya: Enough is Enough

By Karim Mezran

The horrible carnage that ravaged Tripoli over the weekend was the latest in a series of escalating violence. Assassinations, abductions, and other crimes have plagued Libya’s cities over the last two years since the country’s liberation from dictatorship.

Libya

MENASource

Nov 19, 2013

In Memory of Mohamed Mahmoud: Nothing Left to Do but Look

By Wael Eskandar

Even I cannot comprehend it; these ordinary people, extraordinary in their bravery, fighting off the gruesome beasts of an ugly regime that refuses to die. Two years ago, these ordinary people, these protesters took to a street off of Tahrir Square, facing security forces for four days in some of the most brutal clashes the […]

North Africa

MENASource

Nov 18, 2013

Coopting Mohamed Mahmoud

By Tarek Radwan

Standing in Tahrir Square the evening of November 19, 2011, as protesters set fire to an armored personnel carrier, I watched as a cotton-candy salesman joined the scene to take advantage of the rapidly growing unrest to pitch his wares. This absurdly surreal image came to mind upon hearing another bizarre news item: that of […]

North Africa
US Secretary of State John Kerry shakes hands with Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zidan after addressing reporters at the US Department of State in Washington, DC, on March 13, 2013.

NATOSource

Nov 18, 2013

Libya Needs Urgent Help from International Community

By Anna Lund, MENASource

NATO member states including the United States, Turkey, Italy and the United Kingdom have initiated small-scale military trainings with Libya, all occurring outside the country.

Africa Libya

MENASource

Nov 18, 2013

Mohamed Mahmoud: Remembered Two Years On

By Mohammad Tolba

On November 19, 2011, clashes broke out a stone’s throw from Tahrir Square. Young revolutionaries had rushed to the square, in defense of families of the martyrs, camped out calling for justice from the authorities, but were instead met with abuse. Facing off with security forces, almost fifty people were killed, as protesters demanded an […]

North Africa

MENASource

Nov 15, 2013

The Russia Factor in the Egyptian-American Relationship

By Mark N. Katz

Many observers see the recent visit of Russian’s foreign and defense ministers to Cairo and news stories about the possibility of a large-scale Russian-Egyptian arms deal as a sign that the new Egyptian government is moving away from Washington and toward Moscow.  Yet even though this high-level Russian-Egyptian interchange has taken place at a time […]

North Africa Russia

MENASource

Nov 15, 2013

Amr Darrag on the Brotherhood’s Mistakes, Sort of

By Jayson Casper

Now that most Brotherhood leaders are in prison or outside Egypt, there is less talk from within the movement about the ‘mistakes’ ousted president Mohamed Morsi made while in power. That is understandable, as few are available to conduct such an internal review, and furthermore, they are forced to protest, not reflect. In an interview […]

North Africa
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Experts

Fellow

Brian O’Toole

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Economic Statecraft Initiative GeoEconomics Center

Cuba Economy & Business

Fellow

Khaled Sakr

Nonresident Senior Fellow

empowerME Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Economy & Business

Staff

Nour Taha

Program Assistant, Transatlantic Project

Iraq Initiative

Arabic Conflict

Fellow

Frank Talbot

Nonresident Senior Fellow, North Africa Program

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Economy & Business English

Fellow

Sarah Zaaimi

Nonresident Senior Fellow, North Africa Program

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Crisis Management