Messahel: “Opening Of Land Border Crossing Between Algeria And Mauritania Shortly”

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdelkader Messahel, announced on Thursday the opening of a border crossing between Algeria and Mauritania linking the south-western province of Tindouf with the Mauritanian city of Azouirat.

 After being received in Nouakchott on Thursday by Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz with whom he examined the situation now prevailing in the Sahel region, Mr Messahel said afterwards that the border crossing, which will be opened in the next few days, “will have positive effects first by strengthening relations between residents of border areas, and clearing the way for greater economic and trade exchanges between the two neighboring countries”.

The foreign affairs minister, who is visiting Mauritania as part of a four-leg tour of the region, said he had “discussed with the Mauritanian President the current security situation in the area notably ways and means of further bolstering the fight against the scourges of terrorism, drugs’ trafficking, organized crime or illegal immigration.” 

He added that “these issues need more coordination between the two countries as well as among all the countries of the region, in the context of beefing up security in the entire Sahel region”.

He pointed out that the meeting also focused on the preparations for the next session of the Algerian-Mauritanian High Cooperation Commission, which will be hosted by Nouakchott early next year.

Mr. Messahel said that the meeting also revolved on the issue of trade exchanges, which he said is improving day by day between the two countries, without giving figures in this regard.

The Nouakchott encounter also tackled various topics, including the smooth running of the academic training of Mauritanian students present in Algeria.

 “This year there are more than 200 Mauritanian students enrolled in various university disciplines, including medicine, health, agriculture, as well as in the police and the military fields,” Mr. Messahel indicated to this effect.