Effective actions are made to boost Maghreban union, Tunisian official

Effective and firm actions are being made to boost the Arab Maghreb Union (UMA), the Tunisian foreign minister, said Wednesday.

Youssef Mokaddem was quoted by Egyptian Al-Ahram daily as saying that several signals show that UMA will be reactivated shortly.

UMA was set up in 1989 by Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Mauritania. However, the Union has so far been unable to take off as a full-fledged regional grouping due to political differences among member states.

The five member countries held last March a meeting of their foreign affairs ministers in Algiers, a move seen as a step towards the revival of the Union.

The Algiers meeting was a new stage that will mark a strong start of UMA, the Tunisian foreign minister said, who voiced hope that a Maghreban summit will be held shortly.