The Legal and Judicial Cooperation Agreement of the Arab Maghreb Union: Foundations, Mechanisms, and Implications for the Determination of International Jurisdiction in the Maghreb Legal Order

The establishment of the Arab Maghreb Union (AMU) marked a turning point in regional integration efforts within North Africa, particularly in the harmonization of legal and judicial frameworks.Central to this project is the Legal and Judicial Cooperation Agreement, which provides a structured basis for resolving conflicts of jurisdiction among member states.This agreement represents a deliberate attempt to address the fragmentation of private international law within the Maghreb and to ensure judicial predictability in cross-border disputes.Ratified in Algeria by Presidential Decree No. 94-81 on 27 June 1994, the agreement sets forth common jurisdictional rules while preserving national legal particularities.This article critically examines the agreement's principles, scope, and impact.It evaluates the legal significance of its provisions, explores the balance between regional unification and national sovereignty, and highlights the challenges of practical implementation.By situating the agreement within both regional integration theory and comparative international law, the study underscores its contribution to the gradual construction of a regional private international law system.The findings indicate that while the agreement advances harmonization, its effectiveness depends on consistent national enforcement, institutional commitment, and a shared vision of legal integration.The research contributes to broader debates on legal regionalism, sovereignty, and the role of judicial cooperation in enhancing economic, political, and social integration in North Africa.It also provides recommendations for strengthening the agreement's role as a vehicle for unifying jurisdictional rules in the Maghreb and aligning them with global private international law practices.