Mauritania’s President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani recently met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the US-Africa Summit, signaling a potential thaw in relations between the two nations.
The meeting focused on discussing the possibility of resuming diplomatic ties and potentially joining the Abraham Accords, an initiative aimed at normalizing relations between Israel and various Arab states.
Should this agreement materialize, it would inject new momentum into a normalization process that has stalled since the onset of the Gaza conflict on October 7, 2023, and would enhance the geostrategic position of the United States in the Sahel region.
A close alliance would align Mauritania alongside Morocco and the UAE, fortifying a new grouping of US allies capable of countering the expanding influence from China, Iran, and Russia in North Africa.
According to sources familiar with the discussions, it was President Donald Trump who facilitated the meeting between Netanyahu and Ghazouani, although the Mauritanian ambassador to the US, Cissé Mint Cheikh Ould Boïde, has denied her involvement.
Additionally, this endeavor appears to capitalize on groundwork laid during Trump’s first administration, particularly under then-senior White House adviser Jared Kushner, who previously identified Mauritania as a country that could potentially join the Accords.
In 2021, officials had expressed optimism that Mauritania was only weeks away from signing a deal with Israel.
Indications of a warming relationship emerged when Mauritania’s foreign ministry characterized the UAE’s signing of the Abraham Accords in 2020 as a demonstration of “wisdom and good judgment.”
Moreover, the ministry underscored that the UAE retained complete sovereignty and independence in determining its foreign relations based on its national interests and the interests of the Arab world.
However, like many Arab nations, Mauritania has felt hesitation regarding normalization with Israel, particularly amidst strong public sentiments condemning military actions in Gaza during the 2023 conflict.
President Ould Ghazouani remains acutely aware of public opinion in Mauritania, a nation historically impacted by political instability and violent extremism.
His predecessor, President Maaouya Ould Sid’Ahmed Taya, was among the first Arab leaders to recognize Israel and establish diplomatic relations in 1999, aiming to enhance economic and counter-terrorism cooperation with the United States.
Nevertheless, popular dissent led to the freezing and eventual severing of those ties in late 2008 and early 2010, illustrating the ongoing tension between government policies and public sentiment.
Currently, a new context could redefine Mauritania’s geopolitical stance, especially if it were to formally align with the Abraham Accords.
This would not merely revive ties with Israel; it would mark the formation of an axis involving Mauritania, Morocco, and the UAE, collectively aimed at countering regional ambitions from Iran, Russia, and China while reinforcing US strategic interests in the Sahel.
Sources indicate that this alliance has already begun taking shape following a private visit by Mauritania’s first lady, Mariem Bint Dah, to Morocco for emergency surgery, which afforded President Ghazouani the chance to meet with King Mohammed VI in December 2024.
That meeting was characterized by Mauritania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohamed Salem Ould Merzoug, as a period of renewed bilateral relations.
Subsequent agreements between Mauritania and Morocco have fostered cooperation in critical sectors such as electricity, infrastructure, and renewable energy.
Moreover, the recent opening of a new border crossing between the two nations—providing critical connectivity through disputed Western Sahara—has also signaled a shift in Mauritania’s long-standing policy of neutrality relative to Morocco and Algeria’s conflicting interests over the territory.
With new border crossing opened, this initiative explicitly aims to enhance trade and could boost bilateral commerce to approximately $350 million by the close of 2025, alongside substantial industrial agreements that leverage Mauritania’s iron reserves.
These developments may also reflect a strategic departure from Mauritania’s four-decade-long “positive neutrality” regarding Western Sahara, which it maintained after recognizing the Sahrawi Republic in 1984.
As evidence suggests, Mauritania appears ready to adopt a more supportive stance toward Morocco in this delicate context, spurred by the mutual security concerns regarding Iran and Algeria, as well as the desire for economic collaboration.
Support from the UAE has been integral; Prince Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan is viewed as a pivotal facilitator in this emerging partnership, which may also reveal broader economic initiatives linking Sahel countries to the Atlantic.
Rumors of a developing corridor between Morocco and Mauritania arose during simultaneous visits to Abu Dhabi, heightening speculation over mutual interests between the three nations, with Israel potentially serving as a silent partner in strategic discussions.
Such a diplomatic engagement might enable the US to solidify its presence in a region marked by shifting allegiances and the diminishing influence of traditional Western powers.
As Mauritania navigates the complexities of its geopolitical situation—marked by contentious borders with Algeria and security concerns related to Mali—it must also consider military and economic assurances offered by its new partners in the trilateral alliance.
With the US aiming to foster stability and counter anti-Western sentiments stemming from regime changes in nearby nations, striking a deal with Israel could serve as a linchpin in a broader strategy to realign alliances across the region.
Ultimately, if Mauritania formalizes its re-engagement with Israel, it may set the stage for a realignment of ties not only with its immediate neighbors but potentially with other Sahel nations that have previously distanced themselves from Israel’s diplomatic initiatives.
This could herald new opportunities for Israel to reconnect with countries like Mali and Niger, with Moroccan and UAE mediation facilitating historical reconciliations.
Through this strategic reconfiguration, the United States would not only enhance its geopolitical leverage but also promote stability and prosperity in the Sahel, serving both its interests and those of its European allies as they confront diverse security challenges ahead.
image source from：atlanticcouncil
