Summary:

On 16 April 2025, General Saïd Chengriha, Chief of Staff of the Algerian People’s National Army, and Mauritania’s Minister of Defense, Henana Ould Sidi Ould Henana signed a comprehensive defense cooperation agreement. 

While the content of the agreement was not made public, Chengriha said “the two countries share the same ambitions” and that “the security, economic and geopolitical challenges facing the region require today, more than ever, a strengthening of common action.” 

Meanwhile, Mauritania hosted a training course on Countering Terrorist Threats to Hydrocarbon Facilities and Maritime Security that was organized by United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), in cooperation with the International Maritime Organization (IMO). 

The training gathered Mauritanian government representatives, national security agencies, and international experts from INTERPOL, the African Union Counter-Terrorism Centre (AU CTC), academia and the private sector.  

Outlook: 

The agreement with Algeria is likely to support Mauritanian efforts to secure borders from terrorist infiltration from Mali and Algeria. Joint training and intelligence exchanges are likely to follow this agreement. The agreement is also likely to support both countries’ positions vis-à-vis the Alliance of Sahel States. 

Mauritania is also seeking to secure its maritime borders and offshore energy sites in partnership with the UNOCT and IMO as it counts on the new Greater-Ahmeyim Torture project to accelerate growth of its energy export capacity.  

These security initiatives are likely to support stability in the country and maintain confidence in the business environment in Mauritania, particularly for investors closely watching the energy sector.  

However, Mauritania still has a difficult task in reconciling cooperation between Algeria and Morocco without provoking tensions with one or the other amidst their disagreement over Western Sahara. 

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