A coalition of international civil society figures, including former United Nations Assistant Secretary-General Jamal Benomar, has launched a new initiative aimed at reviving the long-stalled Arab Maghreb Union, as political tensions between Morocco and Algeria reach new heights.
Spearheaded by the International Center for Dialogue Initiatives, the campaign underscores that despite decades of political deadlock, a majority of citizens across North Africa still believe in the vision of regional unity, first championed by the region’s post-independence leaders.
“The Maghreb still holds pockets of hope,” the group said in a founding statement, emphasizing that most political disputes remain confined to ruling elites and have yet to fully erode people-to-people solidarity, despite a recent surge in hate speech across media and social platforms.
The initiative proposes the formation of an independent committee of prominent Maghreb figures tasked with diagnosing the root causes of regional fragmentation, offering policy solutions, and proposing reconciliation-focused initiatives. It also aims to publish research and policy papers to help better understand what it calls “the Maghreb dilemma.”
The launch comes in the wake of Algeria’s decision to sever diplomatic ties with Morocco in August 2021, a move that plunged already-frosty relations into deep freeze. Since then, a series of incidents have further strained ties, with the group warning of “dangerous escalation” fueled by an arms race and inflammatory rhetoric that could increase the risk of future armed conflict.
“Relations between Morocco and Algeria have been marked more by rupture than connection over the past six decades,” the statement reads, highlighting decades of missed opportunities due to sealed borders, historical rivalries, and geopolitical posturing.
According to the initiative, the worsening impasse could lead to a number of grim scenarios, with the best possible outcome at this stage being a de-escalation of tensions and a reduction in hostile discourse from both sides.
It also argues that reconciliation between Morocco and Algeria is a prerequisite for any credible progress toward Maghreb integration. Together, the two nations represent the region’s largest demographic and economic weight, making their cooperation essential for regional development.
Despite shared cultural and historical bonds, the statement says political, economic, and security challenges have made Maghreb integration more urgent than ever.
It cites the deteriorating situation in the Sahel, rising cross-border threats like terrorism and human trafficking, and growing economic pressures, from food insecurity to currency devaluation, that demand collective action.
The initiative laments that the Maghreb remains one of the least integrated regions in the world, trailing other African regional blocs in political and economic cooperation. It describes the current state as a “historic waste of opportunity and resources,” and calls on political leaders to move beyond entrenched conflict toward renewed dialogue and common purpose.
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