US envoy visits Algeria amid regional tensions
US envoy Massad Boulos, senior adviser to President Donald Trump, arrived in Algeria as part of a regional tour through North Africa, the TSA reported on July 27th. Leading a high-level American delegation, Boulos was received by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune for talks centred on regional security and trade, particularly in energy.
The visit comes at a time of renewed geopolitical uncertainty across the Maghreb and Sahel. Boulos met with Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf and other senior officials before his audience with Tebboune. According to the Algerian presidency, discussions focused on the Western Sahara conflict, the situation in Libya, security in the Sahel, and bilateral trade.
On the US side, the delegation included Assistant Secretary of State Joshua Harris and US Ambassador Elizabeth Moore Aubin.
Boulos stated that he was in Algeria on behalf of Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, “to consolidate the partnership between the United States and Algeria,” describing the relationship as “of great importance to the United States.” He emphasised mutual interests in counterterrorism, border security, and “fair trade beneficial to Americans and Algerians.”
“We aspire to make more joint efforts to face the challenges in the Sahel region and to work together to consolidate peace and stability,” he added.
However, the visit also raised questions about Washington’s stance on Western Sahara. While the Trump administration had recognised Morocco’s claim in 2020, Boulos recently told Al Arabiya the recognition “is not absolute in a closed way,” suggesting the US has “left the door open for dialogue in order to reach a solution that satisfies both parties.”
In discussions with Algeria’s Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf, both sides reportedly examined coordination at the UN Security Council and shared assessments on regional hotspots including Libya, the Great Lakes, and the Sahel.
Although billed as a diplomatic outreach, the timing of the tour—amid Trump’s campaign and Algeria’s own fragile political climate—has prompted skepticism over the depth of Washington’s long-term strategy in the region.
After Algeria, Boulos is expected to travel to Morocco, a key US ally and rival of Algiers in the Western Sahara dispute.
TSA, Maghrebi
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