In the complex web of Maghreb geopolitics, Mauritania is swiftly evolving from a peripheral observer to a central player, as neighbouring heavyweights Algeria and Morocco jostle for influence over its security and defense alliances.
In recent weeks, Nouakchott has hosted two high-level military delegations—first from Morocco, then from Algeria—underscoring the country’s growing strategic importance.
With Mauritania serving as a geographical and political bridge between North Africa and the Sahel, both Rabat and Algiers are seeking to deepen ties with the government of President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani in the face of mounting regional security concerns.
The Royal Moroccan Armed Forces were first to act, dispatching a delegation from their Deuxième Bureau, Morocco’s military intelligence agency.
Led by Colonel Idriss Hadd Zine, the team met with Mauritanian military counterparts to discuss enhanced cooperation in operational intelligence, especially around border security and cross-border threats.
Not to be outdone, Algeria quickly followed with its own senior military mission.
During a three-day visit, Algerian officers toured Mauritanian training centres, including the National Command and Staff School. Their visit built on agreements signed earlier this year in Algiers, including frameworks for intelligence sharing and joint defence initiatives.
As security threats in the Sahel—ranging from arms trafficking to jihadist insurgencies—continue to shift, Mauritania’s stability and neutrality are making it an attractive partner. Both Algeria and Morocco view it as a critical buffer zone in their broader regional strategies.
Algeria, which has long positioned itself as a key security actor in the Sahel, has prioritised stronger ties with Nouakchott. At the same time, Morocco is advancing a more specialised approach focused on intelligence and tactical training support.
Each country is vying to assert influence while Mauritania, for its part, is carefully managing this balancing act to serve its own national interests.
By engaging with both rivals, Nouakchott is leveraging its unique position to emerge from the shadow of regional politics and establish itself as a strategic powerbroker in its own right.
This renewed attention signals a subtle but significant shift in regional dynamics—one that places Mauritania squarely at the centre of North Africa’s evolving security landscape.
About The Author
