The United States and Tunisia are cooperating more tightly than ever to combat terrorism in North Africa, the fledgling democracy’s envoy to Washington told Al-Monitor in a pair of recent interviews.

Faycal Gouia said relations between the two countries are closer than he has ever seen them in 25 years on the job. Days after a US strike in Libya near the border killed several dozen suspected terrorists — including an alleged mastermind of last year’s attacks in Tunisia — he suggested such operations are becoming the new normal as nations throughout the Middle East and beyond join forces to defeat a common enemy.

“We are witnessing a time and a reality that encourages and urges all efforts to be gathered to fight terrorism,” Gouia said. “Sometimes we have to ignore national egos and even part of our sovereignty to give full success to our fight.”

Gouia spoke with Al-Monitor at the embassy Feb. 26 and again March 3 during a visit to Capitol Hill with Nobel Peace Prize winner Ouided Bouchamaoui. The wide-ranging discussion touched on his hope that US President Barack Obama will stop by for a visit during his last year in office — “it’s so important symbolically” — and the country’s efforts to battle corruption and reform its economy.