ALGIERS – Monday, 24 April 2023 (APS) – The Minister of Foreign Affairs and National Community Abroad, Ahmed Attaf began Monday, as special envoy of the President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, a working visit to Nouakchott (Mauritania), as part of the enhancement of relations of brotherhood, cooperation, and coordination between the two countries, said the Ministry in a communiqué.
At the beginning of his visit, Attaf held talks with his Mauritanian counterpart, Mohamed Salem Ould Merzouk, subsequently expanded to delegations from both countries, in a working session focused on bilateral relations and prospects for continuing efforts to strengthen cooperation in various vital areas and intensify consultation and coordination on developments in the situation on the regional and continental levels, said the statement.
On this occasion, the two FMs welcomed “the exceptional momentum marking the Algeria-Mauritania relations in the context of the implementation of the guidelines of the leaders of both countries on the occasion of the state visit to Algeria in December 2021 of President Mohamed Ould Sheikh El Ghazouani, and the results of the bilateral meeting at the summit level, including the 19th session of the Joint Committee held last September in Nouakchott, which wrapped up with the signing of 26 agreements and memoranda of understanding on several economic, social, cultural and scientific areas,” said the statement.
The two officials also discussed the level of progress of the implementation of joint projects, led by the road linking Tindouf to Zouerate (Mauritania), given its strategic importance, said the same source.
As part of political coordination between the two countries, the two FMs focused on issues of common interest at the Maghreb and Arab levels, as well as developments in the situation in the Sahel-Sahara region and on the continental level in general, stressing in this regard “the need to strengthen the convergence of positions between the two countries to address various common threats and contribute effectively to peace, security, and development on the regional, continental and international levels,” said the source.
At the end of bilateral talks, the two FMs signed a memorandum of understanding on political consultations to establish “a sustainable mechanism for strengthening political coordination between the two brotherly countries.”