Tunisia's slow economic recovery, a national security risk with IS in Libya

Tunisia is considered as the only successful democratic transition following the Arab spring revolution but a leader of one of the parties in the government, Said Ferjani, has warned that time is running out to resolve its economic problems.

“If we don’t move fast, people will not wait and there will be chaos and Isis is next door in Libya,” he is quoted in an interview with the Financial Times.

The dashed hopes of economic gain following the revolution has led to discontent and there is the fear that more young people are being driven into the arms of extremist groups like the Islamic State.

Recent protests over unemployment in the province of Kasserine were testament to the state of affairs in the north African country.

Tunisia is under attack from Isis. Its faltering economy is also a threat. https://t.co/HdYNSEiF5Z pic.twitter.com/2pdLXMKt5L

— Financial Times (@FT) March 11, 2016

It is estimated that the national unemployment rate in the country stands at 15.3 percent but it has climbed to 32 percent for youth under 25 years.

Government officials have acknowledged the country is struggling with slow growth and a wage bill that has doubled since the revolution.

But the Tunisian government urges the people to be patient as structural economic change can be slow.