Security, Stability, Debt Cancellation: Main Topics Discussed During President of Republic’s Visit to Brussels

The meeting held by the President of the Republic, His Excellency Mr. Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, on Thursday at the headquarters of the European Union in Brussels as part of the visit paid at the invitation of the President of the European Council, Mr. Charles Michel, aims to strengthen existing relations between Mauritania and the European Union. It focused on security and stability issues in the Sahel region, at a time when the rotating presidency of the G-5 Sahel is held by the President of the Republic. It also addressed the issue of debt cancellation and the preparation for the G-5 Sahel summit due to be held in February 2021 in Chad. His Excellency also visited the headquarters of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Brussels at the invitation of its secretary general, Mr. Jens Stoltenberg. The talks held on this occasion focused on the means likely to enhance the relations between NATO and Mauritania and between the Organization and the G-5 Sahel, in general, as well as on the security situation in the brotherly state of Libya and its implications. The NATO Secretary General has pledged to send a mission to Mauritania to explore the prospects for diversifying and intensifying cooperation between the two parties. During a news conference held at NATO headquarters in Brussels with the NATO Secretary General, Mr. Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani welcomed NATO’s support for Mauritania and the G-5 Sahel in the areas of security and defense. He reviewed the security challenges facing the region, considering plans adopted during recent meetings and summits, particularly the Pau summit in France, which resulted in a new roadmap to deal with ‘terrorism’ in the region. The President of the Republic also indicated that the talks between the two parties touched on security and defense issues in the Sahel region, issues of common interest, and cooperation between Mauritania and NATO. For its part, NATO has indicated, on its website, that the President of the Republic, His Excellency Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani is the first Mauritanian president to visit the Organization’s headquarters since the country’s independence in 1960, stressing that Mauritania is a NATO partner country since 1995. NATO Secretary General added that his organization welcomes Mauritania’s great contributions in the field of regional security. He added that the country is currently leading the G-5 Sahel and that its armed forces are on the front lines to fight terrorism in the region, saying NATO is following closely the security situation. He affirmed that his organization is committed to supporting Mauritania to build its capacities, stressing that it has helped Mauritania, in recent years, to enable it to build safe stores for weapons, destroy obsolete weapons and train the military. It also contributed to creating 4 crisis management centers in Mauritania and building capacities in terms of operationality and crisis management in the fields of public health and civil protection through the creation of two civil protection units. Mr. Jens Stoltenberg said he was happy with the fruitful dialogue he had with the President of the Republic, indicating that this dialogue can lead to broader cooperation between NATO and Mauritania, particularly in the field of border security. NATO added, on its website, that the talks between the President of the Republic and the Organization’s Secretary General discussed the support that NATO can provide to the G-5 Sahel States.