The Maghreb Arab Union - The Hope for the Future.

There is no doubt that the Maghreb would be stronger if an internal market could be made to work. At the moment intermaghreb trade flows stand at between 2 and 4 percent which everyone agrees is low. A strong internal market should help to create jobs for young people and allow some freedom of movement for  manpower and capital.

Internal tourism could yield tremendous benefits for each country and close relations could visit each other freely for the first time in years. transport infrastructure is generaly good and the road links are there. The world needs positive new initiatives which are few in number in today's troubled economic climate and a revived AMU would put the region firmly on the investment map offering investors the opportunity to invest regionally rather than in single countries. Business, both in the Maghreb and internationally has been arguing for this for a longtime.The obstacles are the closed frontier between Algeria and Morocco and the differing postions on the Western Sahara .

Whilst encouraging meetings have been held recently on opening the border an agreement has not yet been forthcoming, although it may be close. Many suggest that the situation over the Western Sahara should be dealt with separately. After 37 years the negotiations rumble on. As with difficult situations like Northern Ireland, Palestine and Kashmir the weight of history and past conflict and animosity hangs heavily.Neither side has been ready to compomise.Each has much to loose.

It should not be be impossible to achieve agreement,Northern Ireland is a case in point where a settlement was reached after great sacrifice on both sides.It is certainly a matter for the parties themselves.Their allies and the UN can try to facilitate an agreement.Some argue that security concerns and increased terrorism may prevent an agreement for the time being. However the need to unite and cooperate over security is evident and a strong united single block is necessary to stem the rising terrorist threat in the Sahel.

After years of struggle Mr Marzouki and the Tunisian people achieved their freedom.Hope became reality after years of repression. Hope and confidence in the future are perhaps the most important things he brings with him in his discussions on the AMU.