Author: YasminaAllouche
Affiliation: Researcher,TRT World Research Centre
Organization/Publisher: TRTWorld Research Center
Date/Place: 2019, Istanbul, Turkey
Type of Literature: Report
Number of Pages: 16
Link: https://researchcentre.trtworld.com/images/files/reports/Arab-maghrib-union.pdf
Keywords: MAU, Arab Maghreb, Democratization, Liberalization
Brief:
This report examined why the Maghreb Arab Union (MAU) has been dormant and considered a failed institution. It lists several recommendations to revive the functionality of the MAU. The research emphasized the fact that at its very inception, MAU member states have contributed to its failure because genuine reconciliation between the states was never realized. The rise of the post-colonial nation states coupled with the existence of sharp ideological differences (such as socialist vs. capitalist), and the rivalry between Algeria and Morocco, have led the MAU states to look after their own national interests. The report also explained that the pursuance of narrow national interests at the expense of regional and common interests by MAU states opened the space for global actors to interfere and manipulate the rivalry between the regional actors, and conclude separate but competing agreements. Finally, the report provides some important recommendations to revitalize the MAU project. Recognizing the benefits of regional integration, with the opening of borders between states for the free flow of goods and citizens would be a start to reigniting integration, and placing the region’s economic development at the heart of all agreements. Democratization with the liberalization of institutions would help to adopt reforms at both the national and regional levels.
By: Imad Atoui, CIGA Research Associate
