Shield and Alert: Maghreb Bound

U.S. tariffs have not yet affected consumer spending in the Maghreb, but as the tariffs are sending shockwaves through global trade—North Africa is not insulated.

April 2025 has seen a notable series of military developments across North Africa, where rivalries and competition for influence are adding more stress.From U.S. missile sales to Morocco to new defense agreements between Algeria and Mauritania, the regional defense landscape is worrying but  geopolitical competition will likely continue to exacerbate tensions.

In April 2025, tensions between France and Algeria flared after the arrest of an Algerian consular agent in France, triggering mutual expulsions, political backlash, and fears of long-term diplomatic fallout. This analysis explores the roots, reactions, and possible outcomes of one of the most serious rifts between the two nations in decades.

France’s far-right movement has been escalating diplomatic tensions with Algeria by calling to revoke the 1968 Franco-Algerian Treaty. On February 26, 2025, members of the French government threatened unilateral termination of the treaty unless Algeria accepted the return of undocumented migrants.