Mauritania’s parliamentary speaker calls for enhanced ties with Morocco

The Speaker of Mauritania’s National Assembly, Mohamed Bemba Meguet, has reaffirmed his country’s commitment to strengthening ties with Morocco across political, economic and cultural spheres. Speaking during an official visit to Rabat on Monday, Meguet spoke of the “paramount importance” Mauritania, as a state and people, attaches to its relationship with Morocco.

During talks with Mohamed Ould Errachid, president of Morocco’s House of Councillors, Meguet praised the collaboration between the two countries’ legislative bodies and called for activating the Morocco-Mauritania Parliamentary Forum to meet the aspirations of their citizens and deepen bilateral ties.

Ould Errachid highlighted the historic bonds between the two countries, rooted in shared cultural, religious and linguistic traditions, as well as their geographic proximity. He commended recent progress under King Mohammed VI and Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, which has solidified their partnership.

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The Moroccan official also called for expanding joint investments in renewable energy, maritime fisheries, infrastructure and training, supported by the advanced legal framework for Morocco-Mauritania cooperation, reinforced by the 2022 High Joint Commission.

Addressing regional challenges, Ould Errachid stressed the importance of greater coordination to combat terrorism, organised crime and human trafficking in the Sahel-Sahara region. He lauded joint efforts to advance the continent’s security and stability, referencing Mauritania’s key role in projects like the Morocco-Nigeria gas pipeline and the Royal Atlantic Initiative, which aim to foster regional integration and economic growth.

Also on Monday, Algeria’s President Abdelmadjid Tebboune began a visit to Mauritania to attend a two-day conference on education and youth employment in Africa. Received by President El Ghazouani, this marks the first visit by an Algerian leader to Mauritania in 37 years, since the late Chadli Bendjedid inaugurated an Algerian-supported oil refinery in 1987.