Mauritania: The government defends its cooperation with the Europeans in the field of immigration

Nouakchott - The Mauritanian government strongly defended its ongoing negotiations with the European Union regarding a cooperation agreement on managing the migration file that will be signed at the beginning of next month.

This agreement faces severe criticism from politicians, bloggers and parties, with Ould Ghazouani’s government accused of undertaking the resettlement of migrants deported from European Union countries or crossing from Mauritania in exchange for minimal funding compared to what was paid to Turkey for the same mission.

Nani Ould Achrouqa, Minister of Petroleum and spokesman for the Mauritanian government, expressed his astonishment at the goals of what he described as the “black campaign” carried out by some regarding immigration in order to intimidate Mauritanian citizens, stressing that “no one can outdo the government in its loyalty and love for the homeland.” .

He strongly denied “the existence of any agreement between Mauritania and the European Union so far regarding the immigration issue,” noting that “what happened is that Mauritania demanded the establishment of a cooperative framework with the European Union in the field of immigration due to the development of local and regional conditions.”

He said: “The relationship that currently exists in the field of immigration is a bilateral relationship between Mauritania and Spain since 2003, and given the change in many situations, Mauritania has called for it to be reviewed, which is what is currently taking place,” stressing that “the discussion is taking place with the European Union on many pressing issues, in order to Protecting Mauritania’s borders.”

The government's defense of the migration agreement came while preparations are underway to sign an agreement between the government of Mauritania and both the European Union and Spain regarding the management of the file of irregular migrants who are flowing into the territory of Mauritania heading to Europe, and while circles in the Mauritanian opposition and in Mauritanian public opinion continue their warnings against this. The agreement is because, according to its analysis, it opens the door to the resettlement of foreign immigrants and granting them residency on Mauritanian territory, with “repercussions on the security and social stability of the country.” This agreement, which will be signed on the seventh of next March according to the scheduled agenda, is the result of a partnership in the field of migration, which resulted in a recent visit to Mauritania by the Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sanchez, accompanied by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, on the basis of negotiations that began in December. Last December in Brussels between Mauritania and the European Union over immigration.

In exchange for Mauritania managing the immigration file in cooperation with the European Union, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, announced that the Union would provide funding for projects in Mauritania with a total cover of approximately one billion euros.

Despite the criticism directed at the migration agreement, the Mauritanian and European parties continued their serious approach towards signing this special agreement, as the European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson, will visit Mauritania on the 7th of next March, to complete the procedures for signing the agreement.

Leaked information confirmed that the agreement stipulates allowing the deployment of elements of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) on Mauritanian territory to combat irregular migration.

This will be Frontex's first operational mission on the territory of a third country that does not have borders with a member of the European Union, and is not geographically located in Europe.

Through the agreement, the Europeans seek to grant the members of this agency absolute immunity from legal accountability, and not to carry out any action that is inconsistent with the laws and legislation in force in the European Union, and to also prevent acts of corruption from affecting the means and resources allocated for cooperation in the areas specified in the agreement.

The Director-General of the World Health Organization said that thousands of Sudanese lost their lives due to their lack of access to health services, warning of a humanitarian catastrophe as the fighting continues.

The Director-General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, warned of a “humanitarian catastrophe” in Sudan, in light of the ongoing fighting since April 2023.

Ghebreyesus said, during a press conference on Wednesday, that more than 6 million people were forced to be displaced inside Sudan, while about two million people took refuge in neighboring countries, and this is “the largest human displacement in the world.”

He pointed out that "half of the population is in need of humanitarian assistance, but partners cannot reach most of them, and more than 14,000 people have already been killed."

Ghebreyesus stressed that if the world ignores the suffering in Sudan, the death toll will increase.

Since mid-April 2023, the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces have been fighting a war that has left thousands dead and millions displaced and refugees, according to the United Nations.