Tunisia should be a beacon of hope in a troubled region (Polity.org)

Polity.org (South Africa) published an article on Tunisia being the only democratic success story in the aftermath of the Arab Spring. Nearly a decade since the revolution though, the country still struggles with problems that include high unemployment particularly among the youth and women, rising inflation, porous borders, and violent extremism, a large informal economy, and political fragmentation. These constraints have been amplified by the impact of COVID-19, which has morphed from a health crisis to a crippling economic issue. An IFPRI study, The impact of COVID-19 on Tunisia’s economy, agri-food system, and households projected that the COVID-19 crisis would lead to a 46.4% decline in Tunisia’s GDP in the second quarter of 2020. Further shocks to the country’s economy can be expected until the pandemic is contained globally. Republished in Daily Maverick (South Africa), Institute for Security Studies.