US and France Align on Africa and Middle East Cooperation

A senior U.S. official held talks with a French foreign ministry representative to review shared priorities and strengthen cooperation on key geopolitical issues in the Middle East and Africa.

Massad Boulos met with Romaric Roignan, Director for North Africa and the Middle East at France’s Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, to discuss areas of mutual interest between Washington and Paris.

Both sides emphasized continued coordination on regional stability, particularly in conflict-affected countries.

On Western Sahara, the two officials underlined the importance of pursuing a peaceful, durable, and mutually acceptable political solution, in line with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2797.

The discussions also addressed the ongoing crisis in Sudan, where both countries highlighted the need for continued international cooperation following the Berlin Conference on Sudan. They referenced a joint statement of principles endorsed by the United States, France, and more than 20 other countries and organizations. The U.S. side stressed that resolving the Sudan conflict remains a priority for the administration of the President of the United States, given the scale of the humanitarian emergency, widely described as the world’s most severe.

Libya was another key topic, with both parties discussing the importance of an inclusive, Libyan-led political process aimed at unifying state institutions, in coordination with the United Nations’ roadmap for political reconciliation.

The meeting reflects ongoing U.S.-French efforts to align their diplomatic approaches across North Africa and the wider Near East amid multiple regional crises.