Morocco’s King Mohammed VI broke the ice that has dominated Mauritanian – Moroccan relations in recent years by calling the President of Mauritania Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz. A statement made by the royal court said that King Mohammed VI “telephoned Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, the President of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania”.

During the telephone conversation between King Mohammed VI and President Ould Abdel Aziz, the former reiterated his unwavering support and friendship to the President of Mauritania, and his commitment to good neighbourliness and solidarity between the two countries which is based on the long-standing and deep relations which have always existed between the two peoples.

King Mohammed VI also confirmed to the Mauritanian president that Morocco recognises the territorial integrity of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania in accordance with international law.

The two leaders also expressed their intentions to protect these relations from all attempts to undermine them, whatever their origin or motives may be.

In this regard, the Moroccan king decided to send a delegation to the Mauritanian President that included the Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane and the Minister Delegate to the Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita.

The king asked the Prime Minister to clear up any misunderstandings that may have a negative impact on the excellent current relations between Morocco and Mauritania.

The Mauritanian president will today receive the Moroccan Prime Minister in the northern city of Zouérat where he is spending his annual holiday in order to pacify the situation and normalise relations between Rabat and Nouakchott.

Moroccan – Mauritanian relations have been strained in recent years, and this tension recently escalated after the storm caused by remarks made by the Secretary-General of the Democratic Independence Party Hamid Chabat in which he described Mauritania as “a Moroccan territory”.

Mauritania’s ruling party, the Union for the Republic, issued a strongly worded statement against Chabat’s remarks. The Moroccan Foreign Ministry also issued a statement “flatly rejecting” the “dangerous and irresponsible” remarks made by the Secretary-General concerning the “borders of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania and its territorial integrity”. On the other hand, the Democratic Independence Party defended its Secretary-General and issued several statements saying that Chabat’s remarks about Mauritania had been misinterpreted.