Unhappy with Algeria’s continued sealing
of borders,, Moroccan ambassador Hassan Abou Ayoub, has said keeping
borders sealed against his country runs against the ideal of achieving
integration in the Maghreb region.
of borders,, Moroccan ambassador Hassan Abou Ayoub, has said keeping
borders sealed against his country runs against the ideal of achieving
integration in the Maghreb region.
Algeria has kept its borders with Morocco
closed since 1994 because it lacks a dynamic private sector that is
able to compete in a free market.
closed since 1994 because it lacks a dynamic private sector that is
able to compete in a free market.
The diplomat told Italian journalists on the sidelines of a conference on the Mediterranean region, held last week.
“Algeria kept borders closed with Morocco because it is not prepared to integration,” Abou Ayoub said apoteketgenerisk.com.
“Algeria is not well prepared for
competition with Morocco and Tunisia in fields such as industry,
agriculture and services,” he said.
competition with Morocco and Tunisia in fields such as industry,
agriculture and services,” he said.
Drawing on the example of the European
Union and its integration process, Abou Ayoub noted that the lack of
dialogue between Algeria and Morocco and the absence of bilateral
cooperation between the two heavy weights of the Maghreb
as well as the bleak prospects surrounding the Algerian economy are all
factors that have kept the North African region one of the least
integrated in the globe.
Union and its integration process, Abou Ayoub noted that the lack of
dialogue between Algeria and Morocco and the absence of bilateral
cooperation between the two heavy weights of the Maghreb
as well as the bleak prospects surrounding the Algerian economy are all
factors that have kept the North African region one of the least
integrated in the globe.
In this respect, he said that the Sahara
issue is a bilateral conflict between Morocco and Algeria and that any
solution would require an active involvement of Algeria, which hosts,
funds and defends the Polisario separatists.
issue is a bilateral conflict between Morocco and Algeria and that any
solution would require an active involvement of Algeria, which hosts,
funds and defends the Polisario separatists.
The state of trade between the five AMU
countries, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Mauritania, does not
exceed 3% of total Maghreb trade. It is one of the lowest in Africa if
not in the whole world.
countries, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Mauritania, does not
exceed 3% of total Maghreb trade. It is one of the lowest in Africa if
not in the whole world.
If the five Maghreb countries were
integrated, each would gain a minimum 5% rise in GDP, the World Economic
Forum said in a report published in late 2017.
integrated, each would gain a minimum 5% rise in GDP, the World Economic
Forum said in a report published in late 2017.
Deeper integration, including the
liberalizing of services and reform of investment rules would have
increased the per capita real GDP between 2005 and 2015 by 34% for
Algeria, 27% for Morocco and 24% for Tunisia.
liberalizing of services and reform of investment rules would have
increased the per capita real GDP between 2005 and 2015 by 34% for
Algeria, 27% for Morocco and 24% for Tunisia.
