All Policy Analysis by Sabina Henneberg

By involving Algiers in enhanced multilateral efforts, Washington can nudge it toward more effective strategies abroad while simultaneously improving Tunisia’s political and economic situation.

By standing up for human rights and taking concrete steps to support a receptive Tunisian public, Washington can help overcome its reputation for putting security and economic interests ahead of democratic ideals.

The North African country has maintained a close rapport with its traditional security partner, but a perpetual desire for balance and autonomy could offer opportunities for Western countries, including the United States.

Other countries that have restored democratic norms in recent years have seen progress in five distinct areas.

Washington may be tempted to give up after the country’s democratic backsliding; instead, it should take targeted, supportive actions that have worked in other cases.

Tunisia’s structural roadblocks, public skepticism, and ongoing domestic crises have combined to limit its relationship with China, leaving Beijing unable to jumpstart its typical large-scale projects and investments.

Rampant corruption and economic instability facilitated Saied’s takeover, but Western governments need to recognize that these ills stem from deeper human rights problems such as unchecked police brutality, erosion of freedoms, and lack of respect for due process.

As waves of protest rock the country following mass arrests of political opponents, what will happen next?

Three experts discuss the relevance and focus of Western efforts to nurture reform in post-revolutionary Tunisia amid recent democratic backsliding by President Saied.

A recently announced visa decision and a presidential visit to Rabat indicate France’s eagerness to regain its diplomatic position in the region.

Reduced U.S. support need not mean abandoning Tunisians or democratization, and can center on directing limited funds more intentionally.

At a time when Algerian military cooperation with Russia is growing and African counterterrorism challenges are proliferating, Washington cannot afford to take the relationship for granted.

Socioeconomic unrest is growing in many parts of the country, and the series of elections planned this month and next year hold little prospect of bolstering public confidence in an increasingly autocratic government.

Russia will continue using the Black Sea corridors as leverage, so Western countries and their partners should prepare alternative routes and other assistance as counter-leverage.

Participants will probably issue potent-sounding statements on Iran, oil production, and other key issues, but their rhetoric is unlikely to result in any substantive policy shifts or internal dispute resolution.

Although the threat of a more serious armed conflict is not acute, the region's worsening diplomatic strife could have far-reaching economic consequences.

Although anti-democratic measures continue to mount, now is not the time for cutting assistance, but rather for bolstering the country’s imperiled private sector, robust civil society, and compromised judiciary.

A frozen democratic transition and widening economic uncertainty mark the ongoing national crisis, so Washington will need to make careful use of sticks and carrots in supporting open governance.

The main drivers of the current crisis have been in play for many years, so Washington should focus on economic and security initiatives that can help Algeria regardless of which new leaders emerge.