Morocco and Mauritania finalise construction of new crossing
Morocco and Mauritania are nearing competition in the construction of a new border crossing at Amgala, work is now over 95% complete.
According to Middle East Monitor, this represents a strategic shift in regional trade routes and politics, allowing Morocco to solidify its position as gateway between Europe and the Sahara.
The road measures at 93-kilometres and will link Smara, a city in Moroccan controlled Western Sahara to Mauritania via Amgala, an area in Western Sahara currently controlled by the Polisario. This will cost around MAD 49.7 million.($5 million)Further investments are also being made in signage and facilities, including a service station complete with a mosque, housing and amenities.
Smara have launched a first-class taxi service to improve mobility. At the same time, Mauritania will instate 7 more official border crossings with Morocco, a significant increase beyond the previous single crossing at Guerguerat.
Amgala’s crossing aligns with King Mohammed VI’s “Atlantic Initiative”, a plan to give landlocked Sahelian countries access to the Atlantic Ocean. This move is set to strengthen Morocco-Mauritania ties.
The corridor also is expected to boost trade, creating jobs and stabilising border communities, as well as reinforcing Morocco’s sovereignty over the disputed Western Sahara. Mauritania introducing new crossings means the separatist Polisario Front will experience further political isolation.
Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso and Chad have all expressed an interest in the initiative, viewing it as an important route to global trade.
In January, Morocco and Mauritania also collaborated on telecoms, discussing ways for the countries to interconnect across various sectors.
Middle East Monitor, Maghrebi, Al24News
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