Algeria Slaps The Mekhzen By Opening A Border Crossing With Mauritania

Algeria and Mauritania signed, on Wednesday, an agreement to open the first border crossing between the two countries in a move to boost the Maghreb cooperation, to ensure the movement of people and the flow of goods between the two countries, and to intensify border security control in a region where terrorists and smugglers seek to make it their safe stronghold.

Interior Minister, Noureddine Badoui, said on the sidelines of the signing of the agreement to establish the crossing border with his Mauritanian counterpart, Ahmed Ould Abdallah, that Algeria is confident that this crossing will be for the benefit of mutual interests in various fields and allow commercial exchanges and movement of people, and will be a security fortress and a buffer against terrorism, crime and security threats.

Badoui reiterated Algeria’s full readiness to coordinate and work together with the Mauritanian side to combat these various scourges, which know no borders. 

He added: “In line with the will of the two countries, we will work hard to strengthen cooperation in light of the challenges in the region”, noting the need for concerted efforts and cooperation, especially on security issues and those related to common interest between the two countries.

Last September, the Algerian and Mauritanian authorities laid the foundation stone for the first border crossing between the two countries, reflecting the decision of the Algerian-Mauritanian High Joint Committee, which gave the green light for the establishment of the land crossing at a meeting in December 2016.

The point, 75 km from Tindouf (Southern Algeria) was chosen as a starting point for the road that is connecting Tindouf and the Mauritanian city of Zouirat to facilitate the movement of people and goods, intensify trade exchanges between the two countries and remove isolation from the border area.

Mauritanian authorities consider that this border crossing constitutes an important qualitative leap in the framework of advancing the existing cooperation relationships between the two countries at various levels that are related to the smooth flow of people and property and the promotion of economic, commercial and cultural exchanges and security coordination, allowing for the control and security of common borders and the fight against illegal migration and transnational crime.

In this regard, the expert in international relationships and diplomacy, Dr. Farid Ben Yahia, said that the opening of a crossing between Algeria and Mauritania has positive repercussions for both countries, in addition to strengthening relations between the people of the border areas and opening the door for greater economic and commercial exchange, as Algeria will gain sea access to the Atlantic Ocean, thus benefiting from the marine wealth there.

The expert said in a statement to “Echorouk” that the ground port, will open the door for the exploitation of mines that are located in the region similar to Ghar Djebilat, and the establishment of a road and a port for export in the future, to move this isolated area, and turn it into an economic pole.

Algeria will also win a new market as Tindouf will turn to the gateway to West Africa, targeting the markets of Mauritania, Senegal and Ivory Coast, allowing foreign traders and companies to invest, but on the other hand, Dr. Farid Ben Yahia called for the need to provide a political will between the two countries, and the agreements should not remain a dead letter and must translate investments into reality.