Columbia International Affairs Online: Working Papers

CIAO DATE: 06/2014

U.S. Strategic Dialogues with Morocco and Algeria: Take Two

Vish Sakthivel

March 2014

The Washington Institute for Near East Policy

Abstract

Secretary Kerry's visit comes amid Morocco's efforts to expand its regional influence and an upcoming vote in Algeria. Next week, Secretary of State John Kerry will head to Rabat and Algiers to reconvene the Strategic Dialogues that were postponed in November when he had to travel to Geneva for urgent Iran negotiations. While the broader themes to be discussed remain the same, certain developments in the two countries' diplomatic positioning will likewise inform the talks.