In his speech on the Middle East last week, Barack Obama rightly put a spotlight on the immense economic difficulties facing Egypt and Tunisia. These countries enthralled the world as their populations bravely overthrew despots. But the journey of reform is just beginning – and many of the biggest challenges are economic.

Both countries need the west badly. It is time for the US to match action to words and provide the economic assistance they need or else the revolutions risk stalling or even going into reverse.

The economic woes did not begin with the revolutions. In fact, they may have been the catalyst for revolt. Both Tunisia and Egypt faced serious youth unemployment even before the US recession turned global. Rising food and oil prices compounded the economic problems, making discontent more acute.