“Union of States” between the Kingdom of Morocco and Libyabe specially convened whenever circumstances so require.
(4) The Commission shall:
(a) Consider all allegations of infringements of the provi-
sions of this Agreement;
(b) Advise the High Contracting Parties of its conclusions;
and
(c) Make recommendations to the High Contracting Parties
concerning measures for the effective application of this
Agreement and the settlement of disputes over infringe-
ments or alleged infringements.
(5) The High Contracting Parties shall determine the man-
date of their respective representatives in order to enable
interim measures to be taken in cases of duly recognized emer-
gency.
(6) The High Contracting Parties shall make available all the
facilities necessary for the effective functioning of the Commis-
sion and will jointly consider its conclusions and recommenda-
tions.
Article Ten. This Agreement will also be known as “The
Accord of Nkomati”.
Article Eleven. (1) This Agreement shall enter into force on
the date of the signature thereof.
(2) Any amendment to this Agreement agreed to by the High
Contracting Parties shall be effected by the Exchange of Notes
between them.
In Witness Whereof, the signatories, in the name of their
respective governments, have signed and sealed this Agreement,
in quadruplicate in the Portuguese and English languages, both
texts being equally authentic.
Thus done and signed at the common border on the banks
of the Nkomati River, on this the sixteenth day of March 1984.
[Signed]
SAMORA MOISÉS MACHEL
Marshal of the Republic
President of the People’s Republic of Mozambique
President of the Council of Ministers
For the Government of the People’s Republic of
Mozambique
[Signed]
PIETER WILLEM BOTHA
Prime Minister of the Republic of South Africa
For the Government of the Republic of South Africa4.1431 “Union of States” between the Kingdom
of Morocco and Libya
Alliance Members:Morocco and Libya
Signed On:August 13, 1984, in the city of Oujda (Morocco). In force
until August 29, 1986.
Alliance Type:Entente (Type III)
Source:International Legal Materials,vol. 23, p. 1022.SUMMARY
This defense treaty reflected a striking change in regional relations.
Interaction between the two countries had been hostile, with Libya
supporting the Polisario insurgency for the independence of Moroc-
can Western Sahara and Morocco considering sending troops to sup-
port the French in the Libyan-influenced country of Chad. King Has-
san of Morocco claimed to have thought of the idea of a loose union
in which the two states agreed to neutralize conflict and exchange
Libyan oil and money for Moroccan food and labor. As a pan-Arabist,
the Libyan leader Mu ̨ammar Gadhafi was receptive to the idea, as he
had promoted Arab solidarity through a regional union (see the
Maghreb Union, Alliance no. 4.1434).
The Oujda Union followed the rapprochement of Algeria, Tunisia, and
Mauritania that was signed on March 20, 1983 (see Alliance no.
4.1429). Relations between Libya and Algeria had been deteriorating
for some time, and the 1983 treaty signed by Libya’s neighbors greatly
angered Gadhafi. Algeria was also the principal backer of the Polisario
movement fighting Morocco, so the alliance was in part a response to
Algeria’s actions in the region.
This “Union of States” sent an aftershock through the diplomatic
world, surprising both France and the United States. President Fran-
cois Mitterrand of France, who made two visits to Morocco in the
month following the treaty, tried to assuage tensions in the region.
The Reagan administration, concerned because U.S. and Libyan air-
craft had exchanged fire several times over the Mediterranean prior to
the agreement, questioned Morocco’s intentions in case the United
States became involved in a conflict with Libya. When the United
States attacked Libya on August 29, 1986, in retaliation for the Libya-
backed bombing of a Berlin discotheque, Morocco did not aid Libya as
per the terms of their treaty, a breach of promise that signaled the
death of the alliance.Alliance Text
Joint Communique
His Excellency Muammar Qadhafi, Chief of the Revolution of
September First, conducted a working visit to the Kingdom of
Morocco Monday, August 13, 1984, and was welcomed by His
Majesty King Hassan II upon his arrival in Oujda.
This visit followed an exchange of correspondences and vis-
its of emissaries which have taken place in recent days between
His Majesty King Hassan II and His Excellency Colonel Muam-
mar Qadhafi, Chief of the Revolution of September First, relat-
ing to the search for means to reinforce the ties of brotherhood
between the two nations and expand the scope of their coopera-
tion.
These negotiations, undertaken directly between His Majesty
King Hassan II and His Excellency Muammar Qadhafi during
the visit conducted by the Libyan leader to the Kingdom of
Morocco, resulted in the conclusion of a treaty instituting a
Union of States between the Kingdom of Morocco and the
Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya.
Through the institution of this Union of States, His Majesty
the King and His Excellency Muammar Qadhafi seek to further
reinforce the solid ties which exist between their two nations in