On Thursday, January 4, Algerian media relayed the call launched by the Secretary-General of the Consultative Council of the Arab Maghreb Union, Algerian Said Mokadem, for the «holding of an extraordinary session» of the regional body, without citing the Marrakech treaty, signed in February 1989. The last summit of the Union dates back to 1994 in Tunisia. Mokadem affirmed that the «challenges and issues» facing the Maghreb require the adoption of «new constructive strategies in many areas, including education and scientific research, security and the strengthening of human relations between the populations» of the region. In a press release, he welcomed Algeria's decision to relaunch the Maghreb Union. «We are aware, as are the other States, of the building of the Arab Maghreb and of fraternity. I am looking forward to the day when we will try to revive this edification again. Our role and our responsibility is to prepare the ground», announced the Algerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ahmed Attaf. These remarks were immediately welcomed by the secretary general of the Arab Maghreb Union. The Tunisian Taïeb Baccouche took this opportunity to call, on December 28, Algeria to translate its project to relaunch the body «by honoring its financial contributions in the Union budget». Baccouche's press release was ignored by the Algerian press. To the Algerian authorities, Baccouche should no longer be the secretary general of the UMA. This was translated in the statement of the spokesperson for the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in May 2023. «The former secretary general proves once again, through his tendentious and reprehensible media outings, that he is not up to the task of responsibility and trust placed in his person», said the senior official. The secretary general of the UMA Consultative Council, the Algerian Said Mokadem, is known for his hostile positions on Morocco. He condemned, in February 2021, the resumption of diplomatic relations between Morocco and Israel, considering that «Morocco has initiated the normalization of relations with a country considered as an enemy by the Arab League». On the question of Western Sahara, Mokadem is for direct negotiations between Morocco and the Polisario, «the one and only legitimate representative of the Sahrawi people», he told media in March 2021. The headquarters of the Consultative Council of the Maghreb Union is based in Algiers. On the other hand, that of the general secretariat of the UMA is in Rabat.
