Massad Boulos, special adviser to the U.S. president, reiterated Donald Trump's commitment to achieving lasting peace in Western Sahara, while calling on Algeria to open its market to American businesses. His remarks come as the deadline announced by the Trump administration for a Morocco–Algeria peace agreement has passed without any tangible progress. DR ‹ › Massad Boulos has once again addressed Algeria–Morocco relations. In a recent interview with a Lebanese newspaper, the special adviser to the U.S. president said that on the Western Sahara issue, «President Trump is committed to fostering lasting peace in the region and ensuring a brighter future for all its inhabitants». «The United States welcomes the historic vote adopting UN Security Council Resolution 2797, which aims to relaunch a long-awaited peace dynamic in Western Sahara. These developments reflect the strength of the partnership and ongoing cooperation between the United States and Morocco», Boulos said. Using the same platform, Boulos also sent a message to Algiers, urging Algerian authorities to open greater space for American businesses. «The United States hopes to facilitate access to the Algerian market for U.S. companies and to cooperate on opportunities for mutual prosperity», he stated. His remarks come just three days after the arrest of former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro on January 3 by U.S. forces, an operation widely seen as benefiting American oil interests. Boulos sidesteps Witkoff's deadline Notably, Massad Boulos avoided addressing the Trump administration's initiative aimed at normalizing relations between the two Maghreb neighbors. Last October, Steve Witkoff, U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, said Washington was working toward a Morocco–Algeria peace agreement «within the next two months». That deadline has since passed without any official announcement. Adding to the uncertainty, Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf dismissed any U.S. mediation effort in November, stating that «bilateral dialogue with Morocco is not on the agenda». The statement appeared largely intended for domestic consumption, despite the Algerian authorities having made several political and economic concessions to the Trump administration since January 2025. Contrary to Ahmed Attaf's public position, Yabiladi has learned that Algeria has not formally rejected U.S. mediation, as it did with initiatives led by Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar, but has instead requested additional time to address the sensitive issue of normalization with Morocco. At present, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune is focused on a constitutional revision project aimed at extending his time in office beyond the end of his current term in September 2029. The issue was due to be discussed at the Council of Ministers meeting on December 28 but was ultimately postponed. That meeting was notably marked by the absence of General Saïd Chengriha, Deputy Minister of Defense and Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces.
