Mauritania denies hosting UAE military base

Mauritania yesterday denied recent reports on “a possible construction of an Emirati military base” on its soil.

A local source told official ACE that Mauritania was having “brotherly relations with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) based on the principle of common interests and cooperation in all fields, including military cooperation.”

In recent days, Mauritanian media reported that the UAE had decided to establish a military base through financing a project to develop a military airport in the north of the African country.

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The UAE seeks to control dozens of international ports and to have a military presence across numerous global coasts, especially in the African continent, where its navy is present in Djibouti, Eritrea and Libya.

Abu Dhabi manages and controls some 78 ports across 40 countries. It was reported to have been attempting to control, block, and destroy other international ports, which it believes would negatively affect its ports and commercial traffic.