The small North African country of Tunisia will be in the spotlight this coming week as President Beji Caid Essebsi makes his first official visit to Washington since his December election.

Talks on May 21 will focus on efforts to spur economic growth and counter terrorism in a nation that the United States considers to be the Arab Spring's only clear success story. Tunisia's not in the clear yet, however, as evidenced by the deadly attack on the Bardo Museum in March and reports that thousands of young Tunisians have joined the Islamic State.

Tunisia is also taking a lead diplomatic role in the civil war in neighboring Libya. And Essebsi is also expected to press US President Barack Obama to help restart peace talks between the Israelis and Palestinians (Tunisia hosted the PLO in the 1980s).

The State Department has vowed to triple military assistance to Tunisia this year, and Congress has also taken a keen interest in the country. The House passed an amendment to its annual defense bill last week calling cooperation with Tunis a "national security priority," and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee spearheaded a letter to Obama urging him to establish a multiyear aid program for Tunisia.