Mauritania Bound

Mauritania’s high-profile corruption trial of former President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz has sparked a bigger conversation across West Africa, as his 15-year prison sentence has drawn widespread attention—not just for the verdict itself, but for what it reveals about how justice works in Mauritania.

Mauritania is getting €210 million in EU funding to act as a migration gatekeeper to fortress Europe. but there are growing reports of human rights abuses, deportations, and corruption raising concerns about the costs of this strategy.

April 2025 has seen a notable series of military developments across North Africa, where rivalries and competition for influence are adding more stress.From U.S. missile sales to Morocco to new defense agreements between Algeria and Mauritania, the regional defense landscape is worrying but  geopolitical competition will likely continue to exacerbate tensions.

The first shipment of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the Grand Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) project, located offshore between Mauritania and Senegal, has been successfully loaded for export, marking a key milestone for both countries as they join the ranks of LNG-exporting nations.