The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohamed Ali Nafti, received, Tuesday October 21, 2025, the United States Ambassador to Tunisia, Joey Hood, who came to bid him farewell at the end of his mission. The meeting was an opportunity to reaffirm the solidity of the Tunisian-American partnership, at a time when Washington is preparing to appoint a new ambassador to Tunis.
During this meeting, Mohamed Ali Nafti praised the efforts made by Joey Hood to strengthen cooperation ties between the two countries. He underlined Tunisia’s desire to further consolidate relations of friendship and partnership in the economic, commercial and scientific fields, in a spirit of constructive dialogue based on mutual respect and common interests.
For his part, the American ambassador expressed his pride in having represented the United States in Tunisia and thanked the Tunisian authorities for their constant support throughout his mission, which he described as “fruitful and enriching”. Joey Hood also spoke of promising prospects for cooperation in strategic sectors such as security, air and maritime transport, as well as scientific research.
Bill Bazzi, future American ambassador to Tunis
Joey Hood’s departure comes as the US Senate confirmed, on October 7, 2025, the nomination of Bill Bazzi as the new US Ambassador to Tunisia, as part of a series of diplomatic approvals proposed by President Donald Trump.
Originally from Lebanon, Bill Bazzi immigrated to the United States at the age of ten before establishing himself as a local political figure in the state of Michigan. He has notably served as mayor of Dearborn Heights since 2021, becoming the city’s first Arab-American and Muslim mayor. A former member of the Marine Corps Reserve (1999–2016), he served in the military police and intelligence services.
A fervent supporter of President Trump, he distinguished himself by his community involvement and his desire to strengthen relations between the United States and the Arab world. He is expected to take office in Tunis in the coming weeks, in a context where Washington seeks to boost its cooperation with Tunisia, particularly in the areas of regional security, economic development and energy transition.
