ORIA

Treaty and Protocol Ratification

Treaty obligations dictate that the decision to sign a treaty is a legally binding instrument, that creates rights and imposes obligations on the states that are parties to the treaty. These obligations usually override national rules including pre-existing agreements. A fundamental rule in international law of treaties is the maxim ‘pacta sunt servanda’  set out in the Vienna Convention. Under this rule ‘Every treaty is binding upon the parties and must be performed in good faith.’

The Article 2 of the Treaty Instituting the Arab Maghreb Union clearly states the AMU objective of contributing to the preservation of peace based on justice and equity in the region. Moreover, the common defense and the non-interference in domestic affairs of member States are, likewise, central to the Treaty. In this regard, AMU formed institutional structures to promote peace and security by creating the Council of Common Defense in 1991.

Trade liberalization was the main objective of the AMU establishing agenda in February 1989.

The mandate of the SADC Secretariat, as outlined in the SADC Treaty, is the development of strategic expertise and the harmonization of policies and strategies to accelerate regional integration and sustainable development in the region. Although SADC does not have any specific protocols on the harmonization of sectoral policies, its thematic areas of cooperation, through the directories, comprise components of policy harmonization in the respective protocols adopted by its member States.