View source for Arab Maghreb Union

{{Short description|Trade agreement among North African Arab countries of the Maghreb}}
{{Infobox Geopolitical organization
| conventional_long_name = Arab Maghreb Union
| native_name            = {{unbulleted list|إتحاد المغرب العربي ([[Arabic]])<br />{{transliteration|ar|Ittiḥād al-Maghrib al-‘Arabī}}}} 
| linking_name           = the Arab Maghreb Union
| symbol_type            = Emblem
| image_flag             = 
| image_coat             = [[File:Logo of the Arab Maghreb Union.png|110px]]
| alt_coat               = Emblem of the Arab Maghreb Union
| image_map              = Arab Maghreb Union (orthographic projection).svg
| alt_map                = Map of the Arab Maghreb Union
| membership_type        = Member states
| membership             = {{unbulleted list |{{DZA}} |{{LBY}} |{{MTN}} |{{MAR}} |{{TUN}}}}
| admin_center_type      = Seat of Secretariat
| admin_center           = {{nowrap|[[Rabat, Morocco]]}}
| largest_city           = {{nowrap|[[Casablanca, Morocco]]}}
| demonym                = [[Maghrebis]]
| languages_type         = [[Official language]]
| languages              = [[Arabic language|Arabic]]
| established            = 17 February 1989
| leader_title1          = Secretary General
| leader_name1           = [[Taïeb Baccouche]]
| area_rank              = 7th
| area_km2               = 6,046,441
| area_sq_mi             = 2,332,544
| population_estimate    = 102,877,547
| population_estimate_year = 2020
| population_estimate_rank = 13th
| population_density_km2 = 17
| population_density_rank = 217th
| GDP_PPP_year = 2020
| GDP_PPP                = $1.299173 trillion {{citation needed|date=June 2022}}
| GDP_PPP_rank = 23rd
| GDP_PPP_per_capita     = $12,628 {{citation needed|date=June 2022}}
| GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 
| GDP_nominal            = $382.780 billion {{citation needed|date=June 2022}}
| GDP_nominal_rank = 37st
| GDP_nominal_year = 2020
| GDP_nominal_per_capita = $3,720 {{citation needed|date=June 2022}}
| GDP_nominal_per_capita_rank = 
| currency               = {{ubl|[[Algerian dinar]]|[[Libyan dinar]]|[[Mauritanian ouguiya]]|[[Moroccan dirham]]|[[Tunisian dinar]]}}
| official_website       = {{url|https://maghrebarabe.org}}
| HDI                    = 0.715
| HDI_year = 2019 {{citation needed|date=June 2022}}
| HDI_change             = increase
| HDI_rank = 106th
| Gini                   = 32.8 
| Gini_year = 2012 {{citation needed|date=June 2022}}
| Gini_change            = decrease
| today                  = }}
{{Politics of the African Union|financial|width=5em}}

The '''Arab Maghreb Union''' ({{langx|ar|إتحاد المغرب العربي}} ''{{transl|ar|Ittiḥād al-Maghrib al-‘Arabī}}''; '''AMU'''/'''UMA''') is a [[political union]] and [[economic union]] trade agreement aiming for economic and future political unity among Arab countries that are located primarily in the [[Maghreb]] in [[North Africa]]. Its members are the nations of [[Algeria]], [[Libya]], [[Mauritania]], [[Morocco]] and [[Tunisia]].<ref>Francesco Tamburini, L'Union du Maghreb Arabe, ovvero l'utopia di una organizzazione regionale africana, en "Africa", N. 3, 2008, p.&nbsp;405-428</ref> The Union has been unable to achieve tangible progress on its goals due to deep economic and political disagreements between Morocco and Algeria regarding, among others, the issue of [[Western Sahara]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Zunes |first=Stephen |date=1995 |title=Algeria, the Maghreb Union, and the Western Sahara Stalemate |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/41858127 |journal=Arab Studies Quarterly |volume=17 |issue=3 |pages=23–36 |jstor=41858127 |issn=0271-3519}}</ref> No high-level meetings have taken place since 3 July 2008,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.maghrebarabe.org/en/meetings.cfm |title=Official Website: upcoming meetings |access-date=2016-03-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180208064932/http://www.maghrebarabe.org/en/meetings.cfm |archive-date=2018-02-08 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and commentators regard the Union as largely dormant.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/02/08/193416.html|title=Tunisia president in Morocco to promote Maghreb union|date=2012-02-08|access-date=2017-05-08|publisher=[[Al Arabiya]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |editor=Publitec Publications |title=Who's Who in the Arab World 2007-2008 |date=22 December 2011 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NHCQBAFMwawC&q=moribund&pg=PA1117 |publisher=De Gruyter |page=1117 |isbn=978-3-598-07735-7 |quote=It was reported in early January 2006, that the largely moribund Arab Maghreb Union (AMU) had appointed...}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thenational.ae/news/world/middle-east/the-liberated-maghreb-looks-to-economic-union |title=The liberated Maghreb looks to economic union |last1=Thorne |first1=John |date=February 17, 2012 |website=[[The National (Abu Dhabi)|The National]] |place=Abu Dhabi |quote=Tunisia's interim president, Moncef Marzouki, toured Morocco, Mauritania and Algeria last week in a bid to breathe life into the moribund Arab Maghreb Union (AMU), a planned North African trading bloc. While economic integration could boost employment and living standards across the region, leaders largely unanswerable to voters dithered for years in making it happen.}}</ref>  

==Creation==
The idea for an economic union of the [[Maghreb]] began with the independence of Tunisia and Morocco in 1956. It was not until thirty years later, though, that five Maghreb [[Sovereign state|states]]—Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, and Tunisia—met for the first Maghreb summit in 1988.<ref name=uneca/> The Union was established on 17 February 1989 when the treaty was signed by the member states in [[Marrakesh|Marrakech]].<ref name=uneca>{{cite web|title=UMA - Arab Maghreb Union|url=http://www.uneca.org/oria/pages/uma-arab-maghreb-union-0|publisher=UN Economic Committee for Africa|access-date=13 September 2014|archive-date=23 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200723093018/https://www.uneca.org/oria/pages/uma-arab-maghreb-union-0|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-26 |title=PANAPRESS - PANAFRICAN News Agency - Official Web Site |url=https://www.panapress.com/lang2-index.html |access-date=2023-06-26 |website=Panafrican News Agency |language=en}}</ref> According to the Constitutive Act, its aim is to guarantee cooperation "with similar regional institutions... [to] take part in the enrichment of the international dialogue... [to] reinforce the independence of the member states and... [to] safeguard... their assets." Strategic relevance of the region is based on the fact that, collectively, it boasts large phosphate, oil, and gas reserves, and it is a transit centre to southern Europe. The success of the Union would, therefore, be economically important.<ref name="Aggad, Faten 2004">Aggad, Faten. "The Arab Maghreb Union: Will the Haemorrhage Lead to Demise?" ''African Insight. '' 6 April 2004.</ref>

==Organization==
There is a rotating chairmanship within the AMU which is held in turn by each nation. The current Secretary-General is the Tunisian [[Taïeb Baccouche]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://northafricapost.com/12050-maghreb-taieb-bacchouche-new-chairman-arab-maghreb-union.html|title=Maghreb: Taieb Bacchouche, New Chairman of Arab Maghreb Union {{!}} The North Africa Post|date=2016-05-06|work=The North Africa Post|access-date=2017-07-18|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://tunisia-tn.com/taieb-baccouche-appointed-secretary-general-of-the-arab-maghreb-union/|title=Taieb Baccouche Appointed Secretary General of the Arab Maghreb Union|date=2016-05-05|work=Tunisia-TN|access-date=2017-07-18|language=en-US}}</ref> 

==Members==
During the 16th session of the AMU Foreign Ministers, held on 12 November 1994 in Algiers, [[Egypt]] applied to join the AMU grouping.  

* {{Flag|Algeria}}
* {{Flag|Libya}}
* {{Flag|Mauritania}}
* {{Flag|Morocco}}
* {{Flag|Tunisia}}

== Economy ==
The economy of the AMU combines the economies of four out of five member states.{{Clarify|date=October 2024}} All countries are predominantly Arab and Muslim states. The four out of five AMU countries have a combined [[Gross domestic product|GDP]] (at [[purchasing power parity]]; PPP) of US$1.5276 trillion.{{When|date=October 2024}} The richest country on the basis of GDP per [[capita]] at PPP is [[Algeria]]. On the basis of per capita GDP (nominal), [[Libya]] is the richest country, with incomes exceeding US$65.803 per capita.{{Clarify|date=October 2024}} 
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+Economies of AMU members
!scope="col" |Country
!scope="col" |GDP (nominal)
!scope="col" |GDP (PPP)
!scope="col" |GDP (nominal) per capita
!scope="col" |GDP (PPP) per capita
!scope="col" |HDI
|-
|{{Flag|Algeria}}
|200,171,000,000
|693,109,000,000
|4,645
|16,085
|0.754
|-
|{{Flag|Libya}}
|51,330,000,000
|79,595,000,000
|7,803
|12,100
|0.706
|-
|{{Flag|Mauritania}}
|5,243,000,000
|19,472,000,000
|1,291
|4,797
|0.520
|-
|{{Flag|Morocco}}
|122,458,000,000
|332,358,000,000
|3,441
|9,339
|0.667
|-
|{{Flag|Tunisia}}
|42,277,000,000
|151,566,000,000
|3,587
|12,862
|0.735
|-
|'''Arab Maghreb Union'''
|'''421,479,000,000'''
|'''1,276,100,000,000'''
|'''3,720'''
|'''12,628'''
|'''0.707'''
|}

== Operations ==
There have been problems of traditional rivalries within the AMU. For example, in 1994, Algeria decided to transfer the presidency of the AMU to Libya. This followed the diplomatic tensions between Algeria and other members, especially Morocco and Libya, whose leaders continuously refused to attend AMU meetings held in Algiers. Algerian officials justified the decision, arguing that they were simply complying with the AMU Constitutive Act, which stipulates that the presidency should in fact rotate on an annual basis. Algeria agreed to take over the presidency from Tunisia in 1994, but could not transfer it due to the absence of all required conditions to relinquish the presidency as stipulated by the Constitutive Act. 

Following the announcement of the decision to transfer the presidency of the Union, the [[Brotherly Leader and Guide of the Revolution|Libyan leader]], [[Muammar Gaddafi]], stated that it was time to put the Union "in the freezer".<ref>''Le Quotidien d'Oran''. 2003. Le Maghreb en Lambeaux. 23 December 2003. p 1</ref> This raised questions about Libya's position towards the Union. The concern was that Libya would have a negative influence on the manner in which it would preside over the organization.<ref name="Aggad, Faten 2004" />  

Moreover, [[Algeria–Morocco relations|traditional rivalries]] between Morocco and Algeria, and the unsolved question of [[Western Sahara]]'s sovereignty, have blocked union meetings since the early 1990s despite several attempts to re-launch the political process. Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony that was invaded by Morocco and Mauritania, has declared independence as the [[Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic]]. The latest top-level conference, in mid-2005, was derailed by Morocco's refusal to meet, due to Algeria's vocal support for Sahrawi independence. Algeria has continuously supported the [[Polisario Front]] liberation movement.<ref name="Aggad, Faten 2004" />  

Several attempts have been made, notably by the [[United Nations]], to resolve the Western Sahara issue. In mid-2003, the UN Secretary General's Personal Envoy, [[James Baker]], proposed a settlement plan, also referred to as the [[Baker Plan|Baker Plan II]]. The UN's proposal was rejected by Morocco and accepted by the [[Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic]]. As far as bilateral attempts are concerned, very little has been achieved, as Morocco continues to refuse any concessions that would allow the independence of Western Sahara, while Algeria maintains its support for the self-determination of the Sahrawis.<ref name="Aggad, Faten 2004" /> 

In addition, the quarrel between Gaddafi's Libya and Mauritania has not made the task of reinvigorating the organization any easier. Mauritania has accused the [[Mukhabarat el-Jamahiriya|Libyan secret service]] of being involved in a [[2003 Mauritanian coup attempt|2003 attempted coup]] against President [[Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya]]. Libya has denied all the accusation.<ref>''Le Quotidien d'Oran''. 2003. La Libye dément avoir financé un plan présumé de coup d'État en Mauritanie. 21 December. p 9</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2004-09-30 |title=Libya denies Mauritania coup link |language=en-GB |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/3703694.stm |access-date=2023-10-22}}</ref> 

In 2023, the single currency project in the area remains technically feasible but politically infeasible.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://jamelbenjemia.org/2023/05/monnaie-commune-pour-le-maghreb-techniquement-faisable-politiquement-une-chimere.html | title=Monnaie commune pour le Maghreb: Techniquement faisable, politiquement, une chimère. - Jamel BENJEMIA جمال بن جميع }}</ref>

In April 2024, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya discuss the establishment of a new North African entity, supposed to replace the Arab Maghreb Union, which they consider "inoperative", without Morocco, and Mauritania. It was decided that joint working groups will be created to coordinate efforts on the security of common borders in the face of irregular migration and the establishment of major joint investment projects on cereal production as well as water desalination of sea water in the face of climate change, and the free movement of goods and people between the three countries.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-04-23 |title=Bloc Algérie, Tunisie, Libye : Tebboune, Saïed et Menfi assument la première pierre |language=fr-FR |url=https://www.jeuneafrique.com/1561283/politique/bloc-algerie-tunisie-libye-tebboune-saied-et-menfi-posent-la-premiere-pierre/ |access-date=2024-04-24}}</ref>

In November 2024, [[Abdelmadjid Tebboune]] invited [[Kais Saied]], President of [[Tunisia]], [[Mohamed Ould Ghazouani]], President of [[Mauritania]], [[Mohamed al-Menfi]], President of the [[Presidential Council (Libya)|Libyan Presidential Council]], and [[Brahim Ghali|Ibrahim Ghali]], President of the [[Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic|Sahrawi Republic]], to attend the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of the [[Declaration of 1 November 1954]]. This meeting is seen as the beginning of a new union. 

== See also ==
{{Portal|Africa}}
* [[Maghrebis]] 
* [[African Economic Community]] (AEC) 
* [[Arab League]] 
* [[Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa]] (COMESA) 
* [[ECOWAS|Economic Community of West African States]] (ECOWAS) 
* [[Euro-Mediterranean free trade area]] (EU-MEFTA) 
* [[Council of Arab Economic Unity|Greater Arab Free Trade Area]] (GAFTA) 
* [[Trade bloc|List of trade blocs]] 
* [[U.S.–Middle East Free Trade Area|US - Middle East Free Trade Area]] (US-MEFTA) 
* [[African Union]] (AU) 
* [[Union for the Mediterranean]] (UfM) 

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Arab Maghreb Union}}
* {{Official website|url=http://www.umaghrebarabe.org/?q=en}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20190723001604/https://www.maghrebarab.com/ Maghreb Arab Online]

{{African Trade Agreements}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Pan-Arab organizations]]
[[Category:Pan-Arabist organizations]]
[[Category:Maghreb]]
[[Category:Trade blocs]]
[[Category:Regional Economic Communities of the African Union]]
[[Category:Organizations established in 1988]]
[[Category:Intergovernmental organizations established by treaty]]
[[Category:1989 establishments in Africa]]
[[Category:Organizations based in Rabat]]
[[Category:International organizations based in Morocco]]