Economic and geopolitical integration between Morocco and Algeria

Abstract

Morocco and Algeria face a series of urgent problems that can only be properly addressed through higher levels of economic integration and political coordination. Greater integration will achieve two main goals. First, it will help both economies by boosting trade between the two countries and by preventing "political" barriers from undermining economic exchange. Second, higher levels of political coordination will allow both countries to align their geopolitical interests in the region and avoid antagonistic objectives. The success of such a project depends on the political will of the leadership to go beyond their past disagreements, on support from civil society in both countries and the type of institutional framework that is to be adopted. Most important, the success and level of integration will depend on the countries' ability to pragmatically address the most pressing problems each country faces and to do so in a way that is consistent with European Union (EU) and U.S. interests in the region.