Mauritania: Between Algero-Moroccan and Eastern-Western Rivalries

In an effort to bypass overland trade through Mauritania, Morocco established a maritime trade route between Agadir and Dakar this week, through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the Souss-Massa Regional Council and Atlas Marine Group. As a strategic crossroads between North and West Africa in the Sahel, Mauritania has been attracting growing attention both regionally and globally, with Western and Eastern powers increasing engagement to access the Sub-Saharan African market. However, amid the regional Algero-Moroccan rivalry and tensions over Western Sahara, the country is also experiencing the aforementioned forms of disengagement. In this piece, we will explore the security, political, and economic dynamics governing Mauritania's newfound importance.

Navigating Algero-Moroccan Rivalry