The Challenges on Implementing Institutional Reform

Abstract

The 2011 Arab uprisings began in North Africa and toppled the leaders of Tunisia and Libya, but the forces that wreaked this profound change also touched their fellow Maghreb states of Algeria and Morocco. This Adelphi book examines how the politics, security and economies – which were largely stable for decades prior to 2011 – have changed in the four states. It asks why the popular revolutions in Tunisia and Libya did not spread to Algeria and Morocco; how the revolutionary states have fared since 2011; why Libya descended into a deadly civil war while the others did not; and whether the sitting governments in Algeria and Morocco have applied sustainable strategies to address the new political climate.

The book includes chapters on each of the four core Maghreb states, together with regional assessments of the jihadist threat and economic challenges. It analyses the tension between security and political reform, and argues that without persistent and comprehensive development of government institutions focused on creating jobs and providing security, the region risks future protests, terrorism or even revolution – a lesson that states throughout the Middle East should take to heart.

Notes

1 Haim Malka, ‘Maghreb Rising: Competition and Realignment’ in John Alterman (ed.) Rocky Harbors: Taking Stock of Middle East in 2015, Center for Strategic and International Studies, 3 April, 2015: http://csis.org/files/publication/150403_Malka_RockyHarbors_chapter7_0.pdf.

2 See also Frederic Wehrey, ‘Ending Libya's Civil War: Reconciling Politics, Rebuilding Security’, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 24 September 2014, http://carnegieendowment.org/2014/09/24/ending-libya-s-civil-war-reconciling-politics-rebuilding-security/hpv4.

3 Derek Chollet and Ben Fishman, ‘Who Lost Libya’, Fore1ign Affairs, May/June 2015, https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/libya/2015-04-20/who-lost-libya.

4 Edward D. Mansfield and Jack Snyder, ‘Prone to Violence: The Paradox of the Democratic Peace’, National Interest, Winter 2005/2006.

5 Francis Fukuyama, State Building: Governance and World Order in the 21^st Century (Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 2004), p. 42.

6 For example, Wamda emerged after 2011 to report on and connect aspiring entrepreneurs; http://www.wamda.com/country/tunisia.

7 Ian Talley, ‘IMF Chief Urges Tunisia to Speed Up Reforms,’ Wall Street Journal, 9 Sept., 2015: http://www.wsj.com/articles/imf-chief-urges-tunisia-to-speed-up-reforms-1441842987; World Bank, ‘Doing Business: Trading Across Borders, Tunisia’, http://www.doingbusiness.org/data/exploreeconomies/tunisia/trading-across-borders/.

8 World Bank, ‘Doing Business: Measuring Business Regulations’, http://www.doingbusiness.org/rankings.

9 ‘European Jihadists: Why and How Westerners Go to Fight in Syria and Iraq’, The Economist, 30 August 2014, http://www.economist.com/news/middle-east-and-africa/21614226-why-and-how-westerners-go-fight-syria-and-iraq-it-aint-half-hot-here-mum.

10 The presidential envoy's trips are listed on the US Department of State's website: http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2014/index.htm.

11 Vish Sakthivel, ‘Kerry's Visit to Morocco and Algeria: Navigating Between Competitors’, Washington Institute Policy Watch, 4 November 2013, http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/kerrys-visit-to-morocco-and-algeria-navigating-between-competitors.

12 Carlotta Gall, ‘Libyan Refugees Stream to Tunisia for Care and Tell of a Home That is Torn Apart’, New York Times, 9 September 2014, http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/10/world/africa/libya-refugees-tunisia-tripoli.html.

13 Yahia H. Zoubir and Louisa Dris-Aït-Hamadouche, Global Security Watch – The Maghreb: Algeria, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia (ABC-CLIO, 2013).

14 UN Security Council, ‘Final Report of the Panel of Experts Established Pursuant to Resolution 1973’, 2011, http://www.securitycouncilreport.org/atf/cf/%7B65BFCF9B-6D27-4E9C-8CD3-CF6E4FF96FF9%7D/s_2015_128.pdf.

15 Ben Fishman, ‘Tunisia Needs to do More to Fight Terrorism’, National Interest, 13 July 2015, http://www.nationalinterest.org/feature/tunisia-needs-do-more-fight-terrorism-13315.

16 Renaissance Capital, ‘The revolutionary nature of growth’, 22 June 2011, http://www.fastestbillion.com/res/Research/Revolutionary_growth-220611.pdf.