The UMA was founded on February 17, 1989, when the founding treaty of the Arab Maghreb Union was signed by the Five Heads of State in Marrakech.
The Marrakech Summit was preceded by the meeting held by the Five Maghreb Heads of State in Zeralda (Algeria) on June 10, 1988, during which it was decided to set up a Main Committee to define ways and means. allowing the realization of a Union between the Five States of the Arab Maghreb. The work of this major Commission subsequently constituted the WBU’s Short and Medium-Term Work Program.
In addition to signing the Treaty, the Marrakesh Summit adopted a Solemn Declaration on the establishment of the WBU and the Union Work Program.
Subsequently, six Summits were held respectively at:
- Tunis 21-23 January 1990
- Algiers July 21-23, 1990
- Ras Lanouf (Libya) March 10-11, 1991
- Casablanca (Morocco) on 15-16 September 1991
- Nouakchoutt 10-11 November 1992
- Tunis 2-3 April 1994.
During these summits, the Council of the Presidency has made several resolutions among which we can mention:
- the completion of WBU structures as provided for in the Constitutive Treaty
- the adoption of the Maghreb Conventions (36 in number) involving various sectors
- the adoption of the programs of execution of the works initiated by the AMU authorities.