The Diplomat
The Government of Spain yesterday congratulated Mohamed Ould Ghazouani for his re-election as president of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania.
“Successes in this new mandate,” declared the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through a press release. “We will continue working to strengthen bilateral relations with a partner of crucial importance for our country,” he added.
Mauritania, located just 900 kilometers from the Canary coast, maintains very close relations with Spain, traditionally focused on fishing and development cooperation and which, since 2005, have extended to other areas, such as cooperation in combat against irregular immigration, terrorism and organized crime, the promotion of investments and cooperation in the field of defense.
Last January, the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, had a telephone conversation with the President of Mauritania, to whom he assured that his country will continue to have the support of Spain within the European Union, especially in immigration matters. and to thank you for the recent ratification of the Treaty of Good Neighborhood, Friendship and Cooperation between both countries. Spain considers Mauritania a “priority and strategic partner” in migration matters.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, traveled to Mauritania in mid-December, where he conveyed to his counterpart, Mohamed Salem Ould Merzoug, Spain’s support in the face of the growing migratory pressure that the country is suffering. Mauritania is the country of origin and transit of the current wave of canoes to the Canary Islands. Nearly 36,400 migrants arrived in the Canary Islands in 2023, a good part of them from Senegal and Mauritania.
Sánchez and the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, traveled to Mauritania in February to discuss with President Ghazouani the reinforcement of Europe’s cooperation with this African country in its role as guarantor of security in the Sahel, in the management of the refugee population and in the fight against human trafficking. During the meeting, the three leaders expressed their concern about the increase in irregular migration to Europe, “which entails loss of human life, suffering and all types of abuses,” the joint statement stated.
President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani made his last working visit to Spain in March 2022, where he met with Spanish and Mauritanian businessmen and was received at the La Zarzuela Palace by King Felipe VI and at the La Moncloa Palace by the president. of the Government, Pedro Sánchez. The meeting, which had been postponed on two occasions -July 2021 and January 2022-, marked the first visit by a Mauritanian leader to Spain since 2008.
In June 2020, Pedro Sánchez chose Mauritania for his first international trip since lifting of the state of alarm due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After the meeting, Spain and Mauritania adopted a Joint Declaration and opened the ratification process of the Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighborhood and Cooperation.
