Morocco's Regional Integration Put to the Test by AfCFTA, ECOWAS, and OHADA: Between Continental Ambition and Structural Constraints

Abstract

This article investigates the strategic opportunities and structural impediments surrounding the Kingdom of Morocco's institutional anchoring within African regional economic communities, with a specific focus on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and the Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa (OHADA). Following Morocco's historic return to the African Union in January 2017, Rabat's outreach leverages a dynamic economic diplomacy aimed at solidifying South-South solidarity and continental competitiveness. Drawing upon an analytical and comparative framework, the study elucidates potential economic dividends while scrutinizing the profound structural, institutional, and geopolitical barriers at play. The research demonstrates that achieving sustainable regional convergence hinges upon harmonized regulatory systems, enhanced logistical connectivity, and coordinated continental governance