Youssoufi deplores Maghreban Union freeze

Moroccan Premier Abderrahmane Youssoufi on Thursday voiced regret over the freeze of the Arab Maghreb Union (UMA), set up 11 years ago.

UMA could have helped Maghreban states in their development endeavors and could have enabled them to face up the challenges of globalization, Youssoufi told the press before flying to Bangkok, where he will attend a special meeting on development part of the 10th session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD X).

UMA --set up in 1989 in Marrakesh by Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia-- has so far failed to develop into a full-fledged regional grouping, mainly due to differences between Morocco and Algeria. Algeria's direct involvement in the Moroccan Sahara issue has braked all efforts to translate into reality the UMA charter, providing for full integration among the five nations.

According to Youssoufi, the Maghreban union could serve as a large market and make of the Maghreb a strong interlocutor of the European Union and in the Euro-Mediterranean space at large.

"We hope that everybody will think of the adverse effects of the freeze," he said, before voicing hope that the upcoming anniversary of the UMA creation will be marked in a context of better inter-Maghreban relations.

In an exchange of messages on the occasion of UMA's 11th anniversary (February 17), the Maghreban leaders were unanimous in their will to revive the grouping.