Political, Economic, and Security Situation in North Africa

Three years ago, a young Tunisian unleashed a wave of mass political protest and change across North Africa and the broader Middle East, and also across the world. The Arab Spring has affected each of the countries of North Africa that we will discuss today. Morocco and Algeria have maintained basic political continuity during the Arab Spring. Tunisia and Libya have undergone fundamental and at times violent political change. Tunisia is participating in a national dialogue, and Tunisians seem generally committed to a democratic process, but in each of these countries there is significant work to do. The deterioration of security conditions recently has raised important questions and has raised the stakes certainly for local citizens and communities, and also for the United States and our interests. Violent extremist groups appear to be exploiting porous borders in the region and the weaknesses of security forces across North Africa. Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, AQIM, its affiliates and breakaway factions, and movements referring to themselves as Ansar al-Sharia are also capitalizing on divisive and entity issues, as well as popular frustrations with the slow pace of reforms in these transitional states.