NATO’s Special Representative for the Southern Neighbourhood takes stock of cooperation with Mauritania
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NATO’s Special Representative for the Southern Neighbourhood, Javier Colomina, travelled to Nouakcott on 30 January 2025 for first visit to Mauritania in his new capacity. He met the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Mohamed Salem Ould Merzoug, and the Minister of Defence, Hanana Ould Sidi to discuss NATO’s relations with Mauritania, developments in the Sahel region and more broadly across Africa, given Mauritania’s ongoing chairmanship of the African Union, and other topics of mutual interest.
Special Representative Colomina underscored NATO’s readiness to further deepen its political dialogue with Mauritania and to step up cooperation, including by helping to strengthen Mauritania’s forces in the fight against terrorism. He and his counterparts also took stock of the successful implementation of six initiatives under NATO’s Defence Capacity Building Package for Mauritania. These include work on special operations forces development, maritime security, intelligence, a military career transition programme, stockpile and small arms and light weapons management, and military education.
Mauritania joined the Mediterranean Dialogue in 1995. This NATO partnership forum aims to contribute to regional security and stability in the Mediterranean through political dialogue and practical cooperation.