New UK ministers focus on North Africa

London has enjoyed close security co-operation with Algiers and Tripoli for some time, but the relationship is now more overt and ministerial attention more focused. In mid-November, minister for the Middle East and North Africa Alastair Burt – who civil servants say is genuinely enthusiastic about understanding North Africa – addressed a conference at the Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House) on Europe’s relationship with North Africa.