French President Macron arrives at Mauritania

Reuters - French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Nouakchott, the capital of Mauritania, on Monday for a two-day official visit, at the invitation of the Mauritanian head of state, while the country held the 31st Ordinary Summit of the African Union (AU) on Sunday and Monday. Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz on Monday met Macron and launched a news conference immediately afterwards at the airport. President Aziz told a news conference at the airport that relations between Mauritania and France are deeply rooted in history and have been nourished in a plethora of areas. "Your presence, Mr. President among us, is of particular importance; it reflects the depth of the centuries-old ties that unify France and Mauritania, links deeply rooted in history and nourished by a dense and diversified partnership," said President Aziz. The relations between the two countries have recently seen "significant" advances in vital areas, such as defense, security, energy, health, education, tourism and culture. Macron's ongoing visit will mainly focus on the topic of regional security and he will meet with the leaders of the newly formed G5 Sahel group, which includes Mauritania, Niger, Mali, Chad and Burkina Faso. As more and more terrorist attacks have been occurring recently in several countries, especially in Mali and Niger, President Aziz mentioned that the newly formed group, called Sahel G5, will act as an institutional framework for the coordination of regional security in West Africa. "As you know to face terrorist threats, the five Sahel countries have set up the G5 Sahel, which has quickly become a privileged setting for coordination of efforts in the area of inclusive regional development and the fight against terrorism and organized crime as well as illicit trafficking, particularly drug trafficking," said Aziz. Macron's visit this time will be an opportunity to discuss all issues of common interest. It will further strengthen the relationship between Mauritania and France and best serve the interests of the people of the two countries.