Summary:

On 17 July 2025, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani held a first-of-its-kind meeting in Nouakchott, marking a milestone in bilateral relations. The leaders signed a joint declaration expressing their commitment to deepen cooperation across multiple sectors, including migration, security, economic development, fisheries, and cultural exchange.

Four key agreements were also signed, covering transport and infrastructure, national parks management, social security, and cybersecurity, aiming to strengthen strategic planning, environmental protection, migrant worker safeguards, and digital resilience.

The meeting highlighted Spain’s broadening engagement with Mauritania beyond traditional sectors, emphasizing shared efforts against migration-related criminal networks and the promotion of Spanish language and culture in Mauritania. Spain also pledged support for fisheries training programs to bolster Mauritania’s maritime workforce.

Additionally, Mauritania signed a contract with EllaLink, owner of a high-capacity subsea optic-fiber cable connecting Europe and Latin America, to build a second international link directly connecting Nouadhibou to Madrid.

The new infrastructure, supported by the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the EU’s CEF Digital program, aim to enhance Mauritania’s international connectivity with an initial 200Gbps low-latency circuit, boosting the country’s digital transformation and economic resilience.

Outlook: 

Mauritania is likely to play an increasingly strategic role for Spain and the EU, particularly on migration control and regional security. Its position as a key transit country makes it a natural partner in efforts to manage irregular migrant flows and combat smuggling networks.

The submarine cable project may position Mauritania as a digital gateway between Europe and West Africa, potentially catalyzing tech sector growth and regional data infrastructure.

As cooperation expands into areas like cybersecurity, green energy, and education, Mauritania might gradually shift from being seen as a buffer state on migration to a more central player in shaping Euro-African connectivity and resilience.