Source : Sahel weather January 2025

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With the aim of strengthening national security, Mauritania has appointed a new security advisor in the person of General Abdellahi Ebou Medienne, the Prime Minister's office announced on Thursday January 16. His mission will be to advise the Prime Minister's office on security issues, as well as the fight against terrorism. This appointment comes at a time when security issues are crucial, particularly with the exploitation of their joint gas field with Senegal.

The two countries have taken an important step towards commercializing the product of their joint gas development, with the opening of the first well in their marine field.  This is part of the Grand Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) project, implemented in collaboration with British giant BP, American Kosmos Energy, Société Mauritanienne de l'Hydrocarbure (SMH) and Senegal's Petrosen. "The ministries in charge of energy in Mauritania and Senegal, Petrosen and the Société mauritanienne des hydrocarbures [two state-owned Senegalese and Mauritanian companies] proudly announce the official opening of the first well in the GTA field," they announced in a press release. By 2025, this development should be producing nearly 2.5 million tonnes of liquefied gas every year.

Similarly, Société Nationale Industrielle et Minière (SNIM), which is 78.35%-owned by the Mauritanian state, is beating its annual production record, rising from 14 million tonnes of iron in 2023 to 14.3 million in 2024. At the same time, the country is banking on hydrogen to reduce environmental impact and double Mauritania's iron production by 2031.

Mauritania is also strengthening its relations with Qatar in the field of vocational training, as well as on the economic front. A partnership agreement was signed to support the Mauritanian government in both vocational training and economic empowerment. The partnership agreement was signed by Mr. Emadi Ould Taleb, Secretary to the Mauritanian Minister of Vocational Training, Handicrafts and Trades, and the General Supervisor of Qatar Charity's office in Mauritania, Mr. Turki Mohamed Turki Al Turki Al Subaie. The two sectors mentioned above will be further strengthened by a legal framework that will govern and regulate this partnership.

On the parliamentary side, Mauritania's Prime Minister addressed members of the National Assembly on the financial problems of the national water and electricity companies, which are recording over 57% unpaid water and electricity bills. According to the Prime Minister, this situation is justified by corruption, which can slow down the country's development, especially in terms of basic infrastructure. At the same time, he denounced Mauritania's culture of complacency, especially with regard to financial obligations, and suggested a little more rigor to deal with the corruption that is gangreneing the country and hampering its development.

The Mauritanian Parliament also passed two bills. The first is "Bill No. 001-25, which amends certain provisions of Ordinance No. 024-91 of July 25, 1991 on political parties, marking an important step in adapting the legal framework to the current political reality". This bill is fully in line with the Mauritanian President's desire to establish dialogue in the country. Next comes the bill "n° 002-25, which repeals and replaces certain provisions of the 2011 civil status code", which comes at a time when numerous shortcomings have been noted, especially in the administrative field. These shortcomings include the registration of births after the deadline, and the modification of civil status data, which needs to be adapted to digital technology for greater transparency and ease of use in administrative procedures. These initiatives were welcomed by the deputies, who raised fears about the dissolution of certain political parties and the potential abuse of changes to civil status files.