From our correspondent in Nouakchott, Salem Mejbour Salem

The head of diplomacy of the Polisario Front independence movement was in Nouakchott on Monday, November 23. He met with Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani. And delivered him a message on behalf of the president of the Sahrawi Republic, Brahim Ghaly. This meeting comes just three days after a telephone exchange between the King of Morocco and the Mauritanian president.

Consequences

Although Mauritania is not a party to the Western Sahara conflict, it indirectly suffers the consequences. The only border crossing point with Morocco – located at Guerguerate – was recently closed by Polisario Front independence activists. For three weeks, over one hundred trucks remained blocked on either side of the border.

Concern

Morocco then launched a military operation to restore traffic on an axis essential for commercial traffic to West Africa. This sudden flare-up of tension between Morocco and independence activists concerns Mauritania, which imports the bulk of its fruits and vegetables from Morocco.

Two weeks ago, Nouakchott had called for restraint and invited all protagonists to work toward preserving the ceasefire.