THE MAGHREB IN THE REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM

In: Études internationales: revue trimestrielle, Band 22, Heft 2, S. 339-356

Abstract

AS THE 1980S DREW TO A CLOSE IN THE MAGHREB, OLD PLANS FOR UNIFICATION WERE RENEWED WITH THE CREATION OF THE ARAB MAGHREB UNION, AN ORGANIZATION BRINGING TOGETHER ALL FIVE COUNTRIES OF NORTH AFRICA: ALGERIA, MAURITANIA, MOROCCO, TUNISIA, AND LIBYA. THIS ARTICLE SEEKS TO ANALYZE THIS NEW DYNAMIC OF REGIONAL INTEGRATION BY EMPHASIZING ITS SIGNIFICANCE, ITS CHARACTERISTICS, ITS SCOPE, AND ITS LIMITS. IT EXPRESSES THE HYPOTHESIS ACCORDING TO WHICH THE PROCESS OF THE MAGHREB'S INTEGRATION HAS BEEN SET IN MOTION LARGELY BY THE CRISIS IN THE INTER-ARAB SYSTEM. ABOVE ALL ELSE, IT REPRESENTS A RESPONSE TO THE CONSTRAINTS IMPLICIT IN THE PUSH TOWARDS EUROPEAN UNION.