Mauritania Pushes for Border Guarantees in New Western Sahara Talks

14:40

Mauritania has placed the question of its international borders at the center of discussions surrounding the Western Sahara dispute, according to the latest report submitted by UN Secretary-General António Guterres to the Security Council.

During talks held in Madrid on February 8 and 9, Mauritanian Foreign Minister Mohamed Salem Ould Merzoug reportedly called for the creation of a commission tasked with establishing, by consensus, the definitive and permanent international boundaries of the territory affected by the dispute. The proposal was presented as part of broader discussions about the possible framework of a political settlement.

The request highlights a particular concern for Nouakchott: ensuring that any future settlement does not create uncertainty over the borders it currently considers established.

Lagouira remains a sensitive point

Among the issues that give the Mauritanian position particular weight is Lagouira, a coastal locality situated near Nouadhibou, Mauritania’s main economic center.

The territorial question surrounding the area has historical roots in the complex process that followed the end of Spanish rule in Western Sahara. Mauritania withdrew from the territory in 1979 after several years of involvement in the conflict. The subsequent regional arrangements have left the status of certain areas politically sensitive.

For Nouakchott, the broader issue is therefore not limited to the future status of Western Sahara. It also concerns the possible consequences of a final political settlement for Mauritania’s own territorial security.

The latest discussions in Madrid show that these concerns have now been raised directly within the negotiating process. The UN report, however, records the proposal as a position put forward by Mauritania; it does not indicate that the parties reached an agreement establishing new borders.

A broader security calculation

Mauritania’s concerns extend beyond the Atlantic coast. The country has also faced questions over the potential security implications of developments farther north, particularly in areas close to Zouerate.

Such concerns have previously been voiced by Mauritanian political figures. In August 2021, former parliament speaker Messaoud Ould Boulkheir publicly warned President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani about what he described as possible risks to Mauritania’s territorial integrity amid heightened regional tensions.

His comments came in the aftermath of developments around Guerguerat and wider tensions involving Morocco, Algeria and the Polisario Front. The United Nations has previously described the Guerguerat area as a sensitive zone along the Mauritanian border and called on the parties to avoid actions that could alter the situation on the ground.

Mauritania maintains an observer role

Nouakchott participates in the UN-led Western Sahara discussions as an observer, alongside Algeria, while Morocco and the Polisario Front are the principal parties to the dispute.

The diplomatic configuration gives Mauritania a distinct position. It is directly affected by developments along its northern frontier while seeking to avoid becoming a party to the territorial confrontation.

The Madrid discussions nevertheless demonstrate that Mauritania wants its own security interests reflected in any future settlement. Its proposal for a boundary commission adds another dimension to negotiations that are increasingly addressing not only political principles but also the practical arrangements that could accompany a potential agreement.

For the United Nations, the central challenge remains to facilitate a political solution that is just, lasting and mutually acceptable to the parties. For Mauritania, the latest discussions suggest that any such outcome will also need to address the question of how its territorial and security interests are protected.