The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, travelled to Nouakchott accompanied by seven ministers to participate in the first High Level Meeting between Spain and Mauritania. The meeting, considered a milestone in bilateral relations, seeks to strengthen cooperation on migration, the economy and security in a regional context marked by instability in the Sahel.
Migration was one of the main themes of the meeting. Spain and Mauritania plan to make progress on regular and circular migration programmes, with the aim of reducing the arrival of irregular vessels in the Canary Islands and promoting safe channels for labour mobility. A memorandum is expected to be signed to develop a pilot programme in this area.
The summit agenda also included the signing of several agreements in strategic sectors such as transport, cybersecurity, social security and the management of national parks. Likewise, the figure of an economic counsellor at the Spanish embassy in Nouakchott, who will take up his duties in September, was consolidated.
During the visit, the Spanish President met with his counterpart Mohamed Ould Ghazouani. The two leaders signed a joint political declaration reaffirming the commitment to strengthen cooperation in all areas, from regional security to sustainable development.
The summit, which took place in the morning and afternoon of Wednesday the 16th, confirms Spain's strategic interest in strengthening its presence in West Africa. Mauritania is consolidating its position as a key partner for both Madrid and Brussels in the management of common challenges in the Sahel.
Source: mauritaniagateway.com; linkedin.com