Will things get better or worse? In the final declaration of the leaders of Tunisia , Algeria and Libya, the latter expressed their commitment to the coordination of points of view on issues of common interest, but also stressed the need to unify their positions to strengthen the foundations of security, stability and development throughout the region.
This declaration highlights their commitment to enhanced consultation and coordination to support the foundations of security, stability and regional development. The essential question is what will happen next. Is it a good practice to meet today without Morocco and Mauritania and what would its impact be at the regional level?
Elyes Kasri, former ambassador of Tunisia, analyzes this situation in a Facebook post. Some for their part explain the unity of destiny, a slogan that sounds and is attractive despite its base, since it has shown its limits and its faults in overcoming the historical, cultural and social specialties of peoples and realizing their economic and political ambitions.
When the call for the unity of destiny collides with political unity!
And our analyst clarifies: “In the modern history of the Arab peoples, the call for the unity of destiny and behind it political unity has pushed in most cases to escape from internal faults and failures by floating them and running behind the mirage of glory and pride in reconquering the golden age which deserves its history to be controlled scientifically far from emotions and myths to prove what is real and fantasy. However, it remains wise to keep in mind that there is no tipping or charity in international relations, everything is a gift or support in return for a long time or a palace, and the wise one is the one who determines the price in advance and ensures its ability to fulfill the duty of salvation when necessary”.
He adds: “ Apart from the numerous questions about the background and the opportunity of the Tunisian-Algerian-Libyan tripartite meeting, supposed to lay the future milestones for greater consultation and multi-sectoral coordination between the three neighboring countries, thus compensating for the paralysis of the union of the Arab Maghreb, the nagging question arises of the legitimacy and sustainability of this initiative, two authors of which (Tunisia-Algeria) are at the end of their mandate and the third (Libya) is practically an extra because it lacks legitimacy and power”.
The former diplomat continues: “On the other hand, this meeting seems to have sealed the fate of the Arab Maghreb union , the dissolution of which should logically be pronounced and the liquidation of its institutions in order to avoid any redundancy and the payment of superfluous contributions and salaries, especially for Tunisia which is struggling to make ends meet.”
Moreover, the tripartite initiative was criticized for excluding Morocco and Mauritania, which have also been members of the UMA since its creation in 1989, notably by the Moroccan media which accused Algiers of trying to form a new alliance. regional without Rabat, affirming that this decision reflects the decline of Algiers’ influence on the regional or continental front.
The five-member AMU group has faced several setbacks over the years, including a political and diplomatic disagreement between Algeria and Morocco that resulted in a boycott of high-level negotiations since 2008.
Relations between Morocco and Algeria remain tense
Relations between Morocco and Algeria remain tense due to the latter’s support for the independence of Western Sahara, which Rabat says is part of Moroccan territory.
Meanwhile, Algiers severed diplomatic relations with Rabat in 2021 for “hostile actions”, following the normalization of relations between Morocco and Israel. The country also blamed terrorist groups allegedly backed by Morocco and Israel for sparking devastating forest fires that killed dozens of people in Algeria that year.
Even more, Tunisian diplomacy, which has always played the card of neutrality, seems to have taken another turn of which we do not know where this will lead.
