Mike Waltz at the UN – A Strategic Realignment Unfavorable to Algeria
The appointment of Republican congressman Mike Waltz as the United States Ambassador to the United Nations in 2025 comes amid a tense geopolitical context for Algeria. A decorated former Special Forces colonel and rising figure in the Republican Party, Waltz embodies a hardline security approach, openly aligned with Morocco’s stance on the Western Sahara issue. This appointment extends the trajectory initiated by Donald Trump in December 2020, when the U.S. recognized Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara in exchange for the normalization of relations with Israel.
Increased U.S. Influence on the Sahara Issue
Waltz’s position is particularly strategic given that the U.S. holds the “pen-holder” role on the Sahara dossier at the UN Security Council. This means they draft the resolutions and shape the diplomatic language around the MINURSO mission. Having a diplomat ideologically favorable to Rabat in this role increases the likelihood of reformulating MINURSO’s mandate to support Morocco’s autonomy plan, pushing the prospect of a referendum into an indefinite or even obsolete future.
A Strategy of Containment Against Algiers
Beyond the Sahara question, Waltz is seen as a potential architect of a diplomatic containment strategy targeting Algeria. The U.S. could exploit bilateral or regional tensions—such as the downing of a Malian drone by the Algerian army—to encourage countries like Mali or Niger to challenge Algiers’ regional influence. This offensive also aims to weaken Algerian support for the Polisario Front, possibly by using tools such as the FTO (Foreign Terrorist Organization) designation, advocated by influential members of Congress.
A Diminishing Algerian Role at the Security Council?
Algeria, a non-permanent member of the Security Council since January 2024, may find itself in a defensive position facing a more assertive and well-organized American diplomacy. As ambassador, Waltz would benefit from the full machinery of the State Department, backing from neoconservatives in Congress, and support from regional allies such as the UAE and Israel to sideline Algeria’s positions on the Sahara, Palestine, and the Sahel.
A Test for Algerian Diplomacy
In light of this new dynamic, Algeria’s traditionally discreet and rigid diplomacy is compelled to respond. Several options are on the table:
Initiating direct dialogue with Washington to ease tensions,
Strengthening lobbying efforts among non-aligned and African nations,
Seeking mediation through European partners still sensitive to regional balance.
However, these efforts may fall short as long as Algeria remains perceived as a closed, repressive, and economically stagnant regime. Mike Waltz, a man of files and conviction, could become one of the most formidable diplomatic adversaries Algeria has faced since the Cold War.
Waltz’s rise at the UN is not just about the Sahara. It reflects a broader strategic shift in which Algeria risks losing its pivotal role in the Maghreb unless it adapts swiftly to this new diplomatic reality.
