
President Frank-Walter Steinmeier (r) greets President Mohamed Ould Chiekh El Ghazouani of Mauritania at Bellevue Palace/Photo Credit: Kojovi Agbelessessy/MediaKad/AfricaNewsAnalysis
08 October, 2024
President Frank-Walter Steinmeier of Germany today received his counterpart from Mauritania, President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, with military honours at Bellevue Palace, the seat of the German Presidency.
The ambassador of Mauritania to Germany, His Excellency Boubacar Kane, accompanied President El Ghazouani and members of his delegation to the Presidency.
President El Ghazouani and President Steinmeier inspected a Guard of Honour mounted by contingents of the Army, Navy and Airforce of the Federal German Armed Forces on the forecourt of Bellevue Palace.
Germany and Mauritania have maintained good and friendly bilateral relations since Mauritania’s independence in 1960. There is a high-level, regular dialogue and close exchange on a wide range of topics.
Development cooperation is an important pillar of bilateral relations and has existed since the 1960s. Today, it focuses on the core issues of peace and social cohesion, protection of natural resources and sustainable economic development, training and employment. This includes aspects of the expansion of renewable energies and the production of green hydrogen. Germany is participating in the ‘Team Europe Initiative’ on green hydrogen in Mauritania.
The German government is also involved in regional cooperation, particularly within the framework of the Sahel Alliance (chaired by Germany since July 2023) for the stabilisation and development of the country. Germany also supports programmes of multilateral organisations such as UNICEF and WFP to strengthen the resilience of the population and social security. The integration of refugees and host communities is supported through humanitarian aid from UN organisations, particularly in light of the sharp increase in refugees from neighbouring Mali in the east of the country.
Bilateral trade is low. Germany mainly imports raw materials from Mauritania and exports food, vehicles and machinery to Mauritania. The expansion of renewable energies and the planned entry into the production of green hydrogen as well as the mining, transport, logistics, agriculture and fishing sectors offer potential for further engagement by the German economy.
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