PAN AFRICAN UNIVERSITY
INSTITUTE FOR BASIC SCIENCES,
TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION
Master of Science in Civil Engineering
(Construction Engineering and management Option)
History of Africa (PUC 3101)
TOPIC: PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGES OF THE ARAB
MAGHREB UNION
NAMES REG NUMBER
Baimourne Bournebe CE 300-0016/2020
Aholoukpe Konice Yeyime Deo-Gratias CE 300-0008/2020
Kougnigan Abla Marie-Josee Nadege CE-300-0012/2020
Gerald Otanchi CE 300-0011/2020
Gaoussou Sidibe CE 300-0010/2020
Judith Muei Muteti CE 300-0002/2020
Oluwapelumi Abiodun CE 300-0005/2020
Submitted to: Professor S. Omwoyo
Submission Date: August 6, 2021.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................................. i
1.0 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................... 1
2.0 BACKGROUND ...................................................................................................................... 1
3.0 OBJECTIVES AND STRUCTURES ....................................................................................... 2
4.0 CHALLENGES ........................................................................................................................ 4
5.0 REASONS FOR HOPE AND OPTIMISM ABOUT AMU’S FUTURE................................. 6
6.0 CONCLUSION ......................................................................................................................... 7
BIBLIOGRAPHY ........................................................................................................................... 8
i
1.0 INTRODUCTION
The word Maghreb which is in Arabic and means ‘the West’, was associated to the three countries
of northwestern Africa that came under French control during the colonial era. Algeria, Morocco,
and Tunisia are these three countries. Later on, Mauritania and Libya joined these above-
mentioned countries to form the Arab Maghreb region. Talking about the geographical location of
the five countries, they are located at a cultural crossroad, they border the western wing of the
Arab world, then the southern shore of the Mediterranean, and the northern side of the inter-
African diplomatic system. All of them have a common religion which is Islam and shared with
their neighbors to the southwest and east, and this transnational link lays the social base for the
Greater Maghreb Union.
The Arab Maghreb Union (AMU) was created in 17 Feb 1989 when the five founding countries
members namely Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Libya and Mauritania, met and signed the Treaty of
Marrakech. The AMU was expected to bridge the breaches of the Arab League and the African
Union. This paper aims to present the organization its objectives, benefits and challenges.
2.0 BACKGROUND
It has been found that in Africa, regional integration is a very important process to the development
of the continent, its origin has been established back to the early 20th century. Since then, some
authors argue that the process of integration has developed through three phases. The first phase
consisted of a great political motivation, which is demonstrated by efforts for liberation from the
colonization and building the continent identity leading to the concept of Pan Africanism. Internal
conflicts in certain regions dictated the second phase. These conflicts were characteristic to regions
and raised the need for a regional solution to regional conflicts. The third phase was directed by
economic needs among states. At this point, some States had understood that a common
continental approach to economic empowerment could be the possible means of economic
empowerment, provided that subregional systems were successful. Let’s note here that this phase
coincided with the phenomenon of globalization.
Based on the above views and considering many weaknesses that gangrene the limited capacities
and resources of individual countries, if countries come together with dynamic political
commitment to integration, they can get away with those challenges.
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Constituted by Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia, the AMU, is such a trade
agreement targeting economical and future political unity among Arab Countries of the Maghreb
region in North Africa. These countries of the Maghreb share the same cultural values based on
Arabic language and a moderate Islam tradition. The idea of Maghreb Union was on the table since
Morocco and Tunisia gained independence 1950s. At that first time, what was political union was
the main goal foreseen, and economics was a secondary possible benefit to which a little attention
was paid. In 1964, in Tunis, the first Conference of Maghreb Economic Ministers – constituted of
Algeria, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia - took place. With a common accord they decided to create
a Maghreb Permanent Consultative Council which was supposed to coordinate and govern the
development plans of these countries and also facilitate inter-regional trade and relations with other
economy area. However, as people say “it’s one thing to make plans and it’s another thing to
execute those plans”, the plans never came true. It was finally later in 1980s that a new elan began
to gather the parties together again, including a fifth member; Mauritania. These five sister
countries in making held the first Maghreb Summit in Algeria in June 1988, where they decided
to establish the Maghreb High Commission and other sector-oriented commissions. This meeting
led finally to the signature of the Treaty establishing the AMU in Marrakech (Morocco) on 17th
February 1989, including of course Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia.
3.0 OBJECTIVES AND STRUCTURES
According to its Constitutive Act, the objectives of AMU are:
i. To strengthen the ties of brotherhood which link the member States and their people to
one another;
ii. To achieve progress and prosperity of their societies and defending their rights;
iii. To contribute towards the preservation of peace based on justice and equity;
iv. To pursuing a common policy in different domains;
v. To work gradually towards achieving free movement of persons and transfer of services,
goods and capital among them.
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Figure 1: Main Trade Agreements.
The principal structures and institutions of AMU are:
i. The Presidency Council: It’s defined that the chairmanship be rotating in turn by each
country member for one year. Though the terms of Marrakech Treaty stipulate that all
decisions must be made by consent of all members;
ii. The Permanent Secretary-General of AMU: With his Headquarters based in Rabat
(Morocco), his aim is to look after the implementation of decisions that have been taken
by the Presidency Council. Mr. Bacchouche, a former Tunisian Ministry of foreign affairs;
is currently occupying this function (since May 2016).
iii. The Advisory Council: This institution is located in Algiers (Algeria). constituted of 301
representatives per country, which are mainly chosen by the legislative institutions of the
Member States;
iv. The Judicial Instance: Located in Nouakchott (Mauritania), it is formed of two judges from
each member country, appointed for an initial period of six years and can be reconducted
by half every two years. Those judges settle disputes relating to the interpretation and
application of the terms of the Treaty among the members.
v. The Maghreb Bank for Investment and Foreign Trade (BMICE): it is located in Tunis
(Tunisia) and it has been kicked off in 2015. Its mission is basically to contribute to the
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construction of a competitive and integrated Maghreb economy, to gather economy effort,
to carry out joint projects, to promote and develop inter-Maghreb trade and to consolidate
investment and movement of goods and capital among country member;
vi. The Maghreb Academy and University: by these two institutions, the AMU aims to
develop new elites inside the region by promoting a culture of dialogue and capitalizing on
a linguistic unity and already educated and rapidly growing young population in the
Maghreb. Both institutions are based in Tripoli (Libya).
4.0 CHALLENGES
The AMU has failed to achieve tangible progress in many areas of its targets due to sound
economic and political disagreements between members. No meeting of the Presidency Council
took place since the last one in April 1994 in Tunis. The country members have yet signed more
than 30 multilateral accords covering economic, social, and cultural areas. But finally, only six of
them have been ratified by all members. It’s hard to note that, despite the final aim of the regional
organization to supporting and promoting economic growth among its members, the AMU lost
more than half of its economic influence in the world instead; between 1980 and 2017, the AMU’s
share of world exports decreased from roughly 2% to less than 0.5%. A report of World Bank
showed the loss of income for the five countries due to the absence of Maghreb’s integration is
estimated at €7.5 billion annually.
Coincidence or not, since the AMU’s creation in 1989, the Maghreb region has been subjected to
different crises that resulted in delay of implementation of the final objectives of the Union. When
the members altogether signed the AMU’s Treaty, three years later, only the Algerian Government
was unstable due to conflicts with various radical armed groups, and this lasted for 9 years. In
2011, during the so-called Arab Spring, it was now the turn of Tunisia and Libya to be exposed to
social troubles and revolts, which led to the end of the Ben Ali’s regime in Tunisia and Gadhafi’s
one in Libya. These two leaders were the strong figures of the AMU Treaty. As it was not enough,
the transnational threat represented by AQIM and ISIL/DAESH’s terrorist organizations appeared
and has forced the five AMU country members to reinforce security and military presence at their
respective borders, which resulted by jeopardizing the key final aim of the Union: “free movement
of persons and transfer of services, goods and capital among country members and citizens”. Since
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the decolonization, Morocco and Algeria have had a rooted dispute over country border. This inter-
state political stress is not helping the AMU to become a strong Union.
Concerning the relation of the Maghreb region and the external area and European Union
particularly, the AMU was originally formed to allow its members to negotiate with the EU when
it declared a single European market and to encourage trade and economic relationship by allowing
freedom of movement across borders. The expectation was that the AMU could serve as a
negotiating block on behalf of all country members to achieve better and profitable co-operation
with, not only a unified Western Europe, but also the United States and China. As a matter of fact,
instead of being solidary, each AMU member state unfortunately kept managing by its own, its
external relations with the EU, USA, and China, without the knowledge of other countries of the
Maghreb Union.
The AMU as acting on behalf of its country members is governing the strategic objectives,
alliances and political agendas. It is a regional union component and is interacting with other
organizations such as: Arab League, the Council of Arab Economic Unity and the Gulf
Cooperation Council, the Agadir Agreement and the African Union. In addition, the Summit called
as 5+5 Dialogue brings together the countries of the AMU and those from the northern shore of
the Mediterranean (namely France, Italy, Malta, Portugal and Spain).
Currently Libya is led by two main governing bodies: The Tripoli-led Government of National
Accord (GNA) and the internationally recognized House of Representatives (HOR), elected in
June 2014. Both of these governing bodies seem to have nothing to do with legacy of Gaddafi’s
African ambitions and while the Tripoli-led authorities might will a renewal of the AMU project,
the other group is much more interested in increasing relationship with Egypt.
As it can be seen nowadays, Morocco has encouraged its banks to invest in Western Africa
(especially in Mauritania, Senegal and Ivory Coast) and is developing more and more a strong
partnership with Nigeria. And also, Economic Community of West African States has asked
Morocco to join them (ECOWAS) as a full member. Not only that, Morocco has often been invited
to join the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council), they have even signed some trade agreement.
Furthermore, along with Tunisia, Morocco signed in February 2004 the Agadir Agreement.
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Algeria by its side has directed more efforts on the matter of regional security towards the Sahel
region, particularly in Mali. Algeria has been trying to make agreement in regional and
international security initiatives to promote stability in the Sahel region.
Mauritania, sharing with Algeria the same interest and priority about the stability of the Sahel
region, with Mali, Niger, Chad and Burkina Faso, in February 2014, they created a new regional
organization – called the G5 SAHEL - to enhance cooperation on development and most
importantly security between them. Since its creation, security officials of country members have
been meeting regularly to assess the situation of security in the region, come together to fight
terrorism and serious crime in the region. The Headquarters of the new grouping is based in
Mauritania.
Tunisia, after the collapse of the Ben Ali’s regime, canvassed Morocco, Mauritania and Algeria in
a bid to breathe life into the moribund Arab Maghreb Union, assuming that economic integration
would help enhance regional economy and tried to dissuade Morocco and Algeria to consider not
letting the dispute about borders be a block to progress on economic integration. Tunisia was the
only nation to make significant diplomatic efforts to secure the organization of a seventh summit
of the AMU’s Heads of State and government (which the last one took place back in April 1994)
aimed at advancing the project. Its efforts resulted, in 2016, to the nomination of a Permanent
Secretary-General of the Union and this probably is an indication that other countries are following
Tunisia in this project.
5.0 REASONS FOR HOPE AND OPTIMISM ABOUT AMU’S FUTURE
Yes, after stating the issues, statements of the AMU being “a dead organization” seem to be right.
However, it should be acknowledged that none of the five AMU member states has expressed the
desire to leave the Union. Moreover, despite some failures, we have to recognize that the Union
achieved some important successes.
In the 1990s, for the transportation of gas to Europe, AMU members agreed for the construction
of pipelines. In March 2018 the State of Algeria also announced its will to exporting electricity to
Libya through Tunisia by the end of that year. Many other forms of alliance such as a joint airline,
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joint agricultural and industrial projects, and intraMaghreb road improvements have been
discussed.
In a 2012 report, the World Bank declared: “successful Maghrebi integration would have allowed
each AMU member to achieve at least a 5% rise in its GDP”. To unlock and develop new
opportunities and generate more employment in the region, closer economic co-operation and the
reduction of trade barriers would be of great impetus. Finally, to support the optimistic perspective
for AMU’s future, after a long period of absence, a supposedly annual Council of Ministers of the
Interior, successfully took place on April 2015in Nouakchott.
During the fifth EU-AU summit in November 2017 in Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire), Moroccan King
Mohamed VI underlined the benefits of the Arab Maghreb Union. He raised its importance for the
security and stability of Africa and trans-Mediterranean relations.
In mid-December 2017 again, the AMU and Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa
(COMESA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding officially starting cooperation. COMESA
has well advanced technology and innovations regarding E-Trade platforms, Virtual Trade and
Transport Facilitation, coordinated and integrated border post management which should assist
economic development in the AMU states.
6.0 CONCLUSION
For the AMU to develop an effective great integration with the rest of Africa, it requires a change
of mind-set and an ability to appreciate the benefits that enhanced integration can offer the
Maghreb economies. Furthermore, the willingness to come as one nation will contribute to the
continent’s overall development. The AMU’s neglect in deepening regional integration comes at
a large cost for the region’s overall socio-economic development. An effective integration between
Maghreb countries (excluding Egypt as it’s not part of AMU) might generate a big regional market.
Strengthening regional and continental integration would address well certain common African
country issues such as poverty alleviation and can also assist in softening the long-term economic
impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Reinforcing integration would enhance North Africa’s appeal as a trading bloc, thereby increasing
its attractiveness for FDI, improve resources allocation, enhance trade facilitation, and increase
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employment through the free movement of persons within the region. It would also strengthen
private sector’s participation in policymaking, enable greater economic growth, and improve trust
in their relations with policymakers. All of these are vital prerequisites for greater regional
integration that is widely beneficial for governments and citizens alike. Making this a reality
requires strong policy coordination, harmonized rules for trade in services and goods and enabling
the growth of new industries, skills and opportunities for job creation amongst Maghreb countries.
Ultimately there is much to be done and a clear ‘to do’ list but getting it done depends on the
political willingness to cooperate, coordinate and strengthen intra-Maghreb relations.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
IMF. (2018). Economic integration in the Maghreb – on untapped source of growth. Washington
DC: International Monetary Fund.
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https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-is-the-arab-maghreb-union.html
Mohamed, A. E. (2011). Evolution, challenges and prospects of the arab MAGRHEB union.
University of Nairobi, 21-54.
NSD-S-HUB. (2018). The Arab MAGHREB Union (AMU): The Forgotten Dream .
Parshotam, A. (2020). Regional integration for the Arab Maghreb Union: looking beyond the
horizon. Med Dialogue Series, pp. 1-13.
UIA. (2016). Arab Mahgreb Union (AMU). Retrieved from UIA:
https://uia.org/s/or/en/1100006463
