Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan hosted his Mauritanian counterpart, Mohamed Salem Ould Merzoug, in Istanbul on Sunday to discuss the latest developments in the Sahel region and the Gaza Strip.
"Türkiye greatly cares about peace, security and permanent stability in the Sahel region, which is facing serious security tests and a significant transformation," Fidan told reporters after their meeting.
"The safety of this region is critical for all of Africa, and Türkiye prioritizes increasing the capacity of regional countries to fight against terrorism," Fidan said.
Praising Mauritania as a "symbol of stability" in a turbulent region and period, the Turkish diplomat emphasized the necessity of the two countries leading multilateral efforts for security, economy and social development.
"Türkiye will continue fighting for the economic prosperity of the Sahel region," he assured.
He mentioned Mauritania's determined stance toward halting the bloodshed in Gaza since the start of the Israeli attacks.
"They have been leading a sensitive policy, as Türkiye has," Fidan noted. We have agreed to continue working for an immediate cease-fire and uninterrupted aid delivery into Gaza."
Fidan also described the United States' veto of a Palestinian request for full U.N. membership last week as "an injustice on the Palestinian people" and reiterated Türkiye's call to the international community for Palestine's "full recognition."
The central Sahel region, encompassing Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania and Niger, is facing a severe humanitarian and protection crisis that has already forced over 4 million people from their homes, according to a 2023 UNHCR report.
The political, security and economic situation, characterized by repeated coups d'etat, an intense and expanding armed conflict and extreme poverty, is expected to deteriorate further in 2024, the U.N. agency recently warned.
Bilateral relations
Drawing attention to the historical ties between Mauritania and Türkiye, Fidan also said, "We salute our sister nation Mauritania, with which we have historic ties and humanitarian closeness."
He mentioned the approximately 30,000 Turkish citizens of Mauritanian descent who live in the Kozan district of the southern Turkish province of Adana. Mauritanians fought in the forefront during the National Struggle in 1920.
Türkiye's Embassy in the Mauritanian capital, Nouakchott, was established in 2011, while Mauritania's Embassy in Ankara was opened in 2010, according to diplomatic sources.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's visit to Mauritania on Feb. 28, 2018, marked the first presidential-level visit from Türkiye to Mauritania and gave momentum to bilateral relations.
Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani visited Türkiye in December 2021 as part of the 3rd Türkiye-Africa Partnership Summit.
Commercial relations between the two countries have improved, with bilateral trade volume reaching $174.6 million in 2023 and $53.6 million in the first three months of 2024.
Some 20-25 Turkish fishing vessels operate in the city of Nouadhibou in Mauritania, according to data from the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry. This highlights the extent of Turkish investments in Mauritania, which total nearly $200 million.