The terror group Al Qaeda discussed in 2010 the contingency to strike a peace deal with Mauritania in return of an annual “tithe” of $11 to $22 million, according to documents seized from Osama bin Laden’s Pakistani hideout and declassified Tuesday by the FBI. The unveiled deal stipulates that Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb […]
Tag: Mauritania
IMF Expects Mauritania Economy to Grow 4.2 % in 2016
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) expects Mauritania’s real GDP growth to reach 4.2 percent in 2016 thanks to a rebound in mining production. After concluding a recent review of the country’s economic situation, the IMF says economic activity in the non-extractive sector is expected to remain subdued, with growth slowing marginally to 2.9 pc in […]
Polisario’s Involvement in Drug Trafficking Confirmed by Mauritanian Official
Predictions made years ago by many a pundit about the Tindouf-based separatists’ schemes to lay hand on the drug trafficking market in the Sahel-Sahara region have been confirmed once and again, and most recently by a Mauritanian official. Ahmadou Abdel Malek, the official spokesman in France of the Mauritanian ruling Union for the Republic, told […]
Mauritania: Government Accused of Institutionalized Racism
Human rights groups in Mauritania have accused the Government of institutionalized racism after it appeared that the executive body prevented a youth soccer team from attending a tournament in Qatar because they were “slaves.” The Mauritanian Observatory for Human Rights (MOHR) Tuesday called on the Government to launch a probe into the refusal by authorities […]
Morocco: Seven alleged IS militants en route to Libya arrested
Moroccan security authorities Tuesday succeeded in disrupting plans of seven extremists to join IS in Libya. The seven alleged militants, from Marrakech, Laayoune and Boujdour, were arrested as they were attempting to go to Libya through the Moroccan-Mauritanian border. According to a statement released by the Interior Ministry, the alleged terrorists were trying to cross […]
Mauritania takes new initiative to fight overfishing
Mauritania is set to launch on Wednesday a new global initiative, the Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI,) meant to improve the management of fisheries and preserve fish stocks. The move comes following the warning of economic affairs minister Sid’Ahmed Raïss who said that “overfishing by foreign boats is threatening our way of life.” Highlighting the dangers […]
Mauritania: terrorist on the loose arrested in Guinea
Notorious Mauritanian terrorist Saleck Ould Cheikh who was on a run was arrested on Tuesday in Guinea Conakry three weeks after his jailbreak. Saleck Ould Cheikh was arrested near the border between Guinea Conakry and Guinea Bissau at Kalounka-magasin dam, near the town of Boké. Saleck Ould Cheikh broke out of Nouakchott detention centre on […]
Mauritania seeks mobilization of $117 million to support youth
The Mauritanian Government will next month organize a roundtable with its technical and financial partners in a bid to mobilize $117 million necessary to implement the national youth strategic program. The roundtable, scheduled for February 18, will gather Mauritania’s technical and financial partners who will discuss means of mobilizing $117 million necessary to implement the […]
Mauritania: President Ould Abdel Aziz promises to quit power in 2019
Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz has promised to quit power at the end of his term in 2019, reports say. President Ould Abdel Aziz announced his decision during a meeting with Western diplomats accredited to Nouakchott. Former army general Ould Abdel Aziz came to power following a military coup in 2008 which toppled former […]
Mauritania: 7 militants of anti-slavery outlawed organization arrested
The outlawed Initiative for the Resurgence of the Abolitionist movement in Mauritania (IRA) indicated security forces arrested 7 of its militants following a protest demanding the release of leaders of the organization locked up for two years in prison. The organization has condemned what it calls violation and breach by authorities of the right to […]









