On October 3, 1971, the Republic of Liberia and Sierra Leone established the Mano River Union (MRU). On 25 October 1980, the Republic of Guinea joined the union. On 15 May 2008, Côte d’Ivoire also joined the Mano River Union. The aim of MRU is to among other things:

• Intensify efforts for closer economic cooperation between member countries
• Expand trade by the elimination of all barriers to mutual trade
• Create the conditions favorable to an expansion of joint productive capacity
• Secure a fair distribution of the benefits from economic cooperation
• Accelerate the economic growth; social progress and cultural advancement of member countries
• Provide active collaboration and mutual assistance in matters of common interest in economic, social, technical, scientific, and administrative fields.

In 1964, Liberian president William Tubman proposed an economic union for West Africa leading to an agreement which was signed in 1965 by the four states of Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. However, it was not until 1972 that a proposal for a union of West African States emerged. ECOWAS is meant to foster interstate economic and political cooperation. Its members are as follows:

On Feb. 17, 1989 the treaty that gave birth to the formation of Arab Maghreb Union (AMU) was signed in Marrakech, Morocco. Representing the 5-member countries at the summit were King Hassan II of Morocco, Col. Muammar Gaddafi of Libya, President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali of Tunisia, President Chadli Bendjedid of Algeria, and Col. Maaouya Ould Sid’Ahmed Taya of Mauritania.

AMUS’ basic objective is geared toward increasing inter-regional trade and cooperation, the preservation of listing peace and security in the Maghreb. Despite the geographical proximity, historical and cultural and economic similarities which Maghreb states share, they are endowed with resources that are dissimilar. The Union has been unable to achieve tangible progress on its goals due to deep economic and political disagreements between Morocco and Algeria regarding, among others, the issue of Western Sahara. Its members are: Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia.

European Union
The European Union (EU) is a political and economic union of 28 member states that are located primarily in Europe. The EU has developed a single internal market through a standardized system of laws that apply in all member states in those matters, and only those matters, where members have agreed to act as one. EU policies aim to ensure the free movement of people, goods, services, and capital within the internal market, enact legislation in justice and home affairs and maintain standard policies on trade, agriculture, fisheries, and regional development.

A monetary union was established in 1999 and came into full force in 2002 and is composed of 19 EU member states which use the euro currency. The eurozone consists of the following states:

Austria Germany Poland
Belgium Greece Portugal
Bulgaria Hungary Romania
Croatia Ireland Slovakia
Cyprus Italy Slovenia
Czechia Latvia Spain
Denmark Lithuania Sweden
Estonia Luxembourg United Kingdom[k]
Finland Malta
France Netherlands
Population (2019 estimate) 513,481,691
GDP (PPP), 2018 estimate $22.0 trillion
Per capita $43,150
GDP (nominal) 2018 estimate $18.8 trillion
Per capita $36,580

The Arab League

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Other African Markets