Moroccan prime minister visits Mauritania despite politician’s ‘irresponsible’ comment

Morocco’s prime minister has gone ahead with a visit to Mauritania despite political tension arising from comments made by opposition politician Hamid Chabat, the General Secretary of the Istiqlal [Independence] Party. Abdulilah Benkirane was received by Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz on Wednesday in the northern city of Zouérat.

Benkirane carried a message of goodwill from King Mohammed VI. The Moroccan monarch had earlier called Abdel Aziz to stress that his country recognises Mauritania’s territorial integrity in line with international law. Relations between the two African states have been strained recently after Chabat described Mauritania as “a Moroccan territory”.

The foreign ministry in Rabat issued a statement “flatly rejecting” the “dangerous and irresponsible” remarks made by the Istiqlal official concerning the “borders of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania and its territorial integrity.”