Morocco and Mauritania agreed to strengthen their security co-operation against terrorism, AFP quoted the Moroccan interior minister as saying Wednesday (October 15th).

Mauritanian Interior Minister Mohamed Ould Ahmed Salem paid a visit to Rabat Monday and Tuesday, during which he held talks with his Moroccan counterpart, Mohamed Hassad, and with Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane.

The two sides reached agreements in several other fields, including capacity-boosting, expert exchange programmes, and training for Mauritanian cadres at the Royal Institute of Territorial Administration (IRAT) and the Royal Police Institute, Sahara Medias reported.

This is in addition to implementing the 2004 civil defence co-operation agreement, bolstering administrative abilities and enhancing co-operation between local authorities in the two countries.

The two interior ministers agreed to work together to establish security and stability, and realise the desired development for the two brotherly peoples.

“The meeting is a new start for co-operation in the security field between the two countries, especially as there should be intensive co-ordination between the two countries in security issues. This co-operation is historical and we shall renew it,” MAP quoted Hassad as saying.

The two ministers also discussed security challenges in the Sahel and agreed to consolidate security co-operation and co-ordination efforts to confront threats against the stability of Morocco and Mauritania, which have a long joint border.

For his part, the Mauritanian interior minister said that meeting was part of “co-operation between the two brotherly countries in the framework of joint security co-ordination to enhance bilateral relations”.

Youssef Lakhdar, a Moroccan reporter working for Elassima Post, said that there was “no doubt that co-operation between two neighbouring countries facing the same challenges serves the interests of their peoples better than disputes and severed diplomatic relations, which have wasted many opportunities for co-ordination and co-operation, especially in view of the great dangers in the region”.

“As neighbours, I think Mauritania and Morocco should co-ordinate and overcome political differences. There are opportunities that aren’t exploited by the two sides, and the focus should be on development and co-operation in all fields,” Lakhdar added.

In his turn, political analyst Mohamed Ould Abderrahmane commented on this step by saying that the “visit of the Mauritanian interior minister and high-level delegation shows that there is no deterioration of relations between Mauritania and Morocco.

He added: “The volume of trade exchange, overlapping social relations between the two peoples, the open border and continuous trips are all elements that enhance relations between the two countries.”

“Mauritania and Morocco have many joint interests,” agreed Mauritanian journalist and political analyst Mohamed Naji Ould Ahmedou. “The two peoples hope to enhance this co-operation and partnership given that the two countries share social and economic relations.”

“It will be in their interest to have intensive security co-ordination to prevent the infiltration of elements that threaten security, especially in view of the talk about the Islamic State (ISIS) recruiting young people from the two countries,” Ould Ahmedou told Magharebia…[Original Story]

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