The Difficulties of North African Reform

As a sputtering economy and perceptions of corruption take their toll on the public's patience, the leadership of the country's powerful security forces is undergoing a significant shake-up.

For four years, Tunisia's political system has been kept from the brink of collapse by an alliance between two former rivals. But now that they've parted ways, the government will enter a new era of instability.

Algeria's entrenched government powers have fostered an opaque political atmosphere marked by a fear of dissent. But as the country's economy worsens, opposition parties may be able to work within the system to make small but substantial changes.

With its latest vote, the North African country is pushing further into the uncharted territory of a decentralized, democratic government.

Countries as different as Morocco and Iran are beset by joblessness, but many of the solutions are less than palatable.

The country -- the first to topple its government in the Arab Spring uprising of 2011 -- faces enormous challenges ahead. Building a democracy is no small feat, after all.

As North Africa's democratic success story, the country is no stranger to activism. But the size of this year's demonstrations reflects Tunisians' growing economic concerns.

The multinational Group of Five Sahel Force is closer to reaching its funding goals, but it still has a long way to go and more obstacles to overcome.

The country has an inward-facing five-year plan to reduce its deficits and reform its economy; the risks are substantial.

A recent terrorist attack drew Western media attention to Africa's Sahel region, but the incident offers only a small glimpse into the region's bigger problems with Islamist militancy.