Policy Brief Policy Brief January 2020, PB-20/03
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Policy Center for the New South Policy Brief Policy Brief January 2020, PB-20/03 Morocco/Mauritania: Common Strategic Interests By Youssef Tobi & Youssef El Jai Summary This Policy Brief aims to: • present Mauritania through its geography and domestic politics; • examine relations between Morocco and Mauritania, and • explore avenues for more sustained cooperation between the two countries. Introduction is a key factor in both its domestic and foreign policy. The purpose here is to identify major trends shaping Morocco and Mauritania enjoy geographical proximity Mauritanian policy in order to shed light on the possible conducive to trade and cooperation. Moreover, the high motives for Mauritania’s position vis-à-vis its neighbor, stakes currently at play in the Sahel-Saharan strip and Morocco. Various possible avenues for rapprochement the role played by Morocco and Mauritania in Africa at between both countries will be highlighted. both the political and economic levels call for a review of shared strategic interests that bind the two countries. Although already underway, cooperation in Despite geographical and historical proximity, relations counterterrorism and economic trade are two of the between the two neighbors are not as intense as one pillars upon which the two countries can build. Since the might expect. challenges of development and security are common, they constitute clear points of rapprochement, given the Building stronger relations with Mauritania requires an geographical, cultural and worship proximity between understanding of Mauritanian geopolitics. Its geography Rabat and Nouakchott. www.policycenter.ma 1 Policy Center for the New South Policy Brief any sectarian tendencies, the Mauritanian constitution I. Geopolitics of Mauritania represses any propaganda based on race or ethnicity4. These domestic policy factors account, in many respects, Mauritania, a North-West African country, has an area for the various symbolic and regulatory measures taken of 1,030,700 km2. Its borders with Morocco (1561 km), recently by the country to affirm its attachment to its Algeria (463 km) and Mali (2237 km) are in a straight line territorial integrity and its own identity: due to the fact that they were drawn by French colonizers. Mauritania’s only natural border is the Senegal River, • Modification of the national flag with two red stripes which it shares with Senegal, one of its main economic symbolizing the blood of the “martyrs of resistance” partners. Largely desert, Mauritania is bordered by 800 during the French colonial period. km of Atlantic coastline. • International treaties and agreements can only be ratified by law. No changes to the territory can be Mauritania only acquired sovereignty over its territory made without the consent of the people5. through the Franco-Mauritanian agreements signed on • Repression of domestic media that undermine the 28 November 1960. The history of this country is thus principle of territorial integrity6 rooted in colonialism, as its territory is the result of • Sub-regional security diplomacy aimed at countering decolonization. Drawing on this rich history, it is easy to the spread of terrorism on its territory7 understand Mauritania’s attachment to the intangibility of post-independence borders1. Geopolitically, Mauritania often finds itself in an awkward position between its two neighbors, Algeria Mauritanian space is more than just a territory, it is a and Morocco. The conflict over the territorial integrity claim. Mauritanian policy is, in several respects, defined of the Kingdom of Morocco underlines the complexity of by this principle of sovereignty; decisions relating to the the Mauritanian position. Often ambiguous, this position preservation of its borders are tied to this attachment is shaped by several factors, including the balancing to the integrity of its space, which stems from the very act that Nouakchott must operate between Algiers and history of its founding. As a result, nationalistic arguments Rabat. For other reasons, other considerations must also are a powerful bias in Mauritanian politics, reflected in a be taken into account to understand the Mauritanian sovereignty-based presidential doctrine which, through position with regard to Morocco’s territorial integrity. a set of symbolic and regulatory measures, positions the preservation of territory as a guarantor of sovereignty, as the common thread of national political discourse. 2. Reasons behind Mauritanian ambivalence 1. Mauritania: Nationalism and Morocco’s territorial integrity is a priority and the territorial integrity defense of its sovereignty over its southern provinces is Mauritania’s political identity is founded on three at the heart of its foreign policy. Mauritania recognizes principles: Islam as the state religion, territorial the “Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic”, which claims integrity as a priority and attachment to democratic sovereignty over Morocco’s southern provinces, although principles2. These common values are essential to the relations between Morocco and Mauritania are strong unity of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania given its and Mauritania is an important potential ally. There is diversity. Indeed, the country is multi-ethnic, with a not enough basis for a clear-cut opinion on the reasons majority of Arabic-speaking “Moors” divided into “white for Mauritanian ambivalence towards Morocco. Several Moors,” known as Beidanes and “black Moors,” known as hypotheses can be advanced: Harratines3 as well as a population of West African origin (mainly Fulani, Soninke and Wolof). In order to prevent 1. The intangibility of borders is based on a principle of law derived 4. Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania. Article 1 from Roman law “uti possidetis, ita possideatis” which means “you 5. Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania. Article 2 will possess what you already possess”. In 1964, the Organization of 6. 4 journalists suspected of having received illicit funding in 2017 placed African Unity used this principle to settle territorial disputes on the under judicial supervision. basis of a treaty based on pre-existing borders. 7. This security-focused diplomacy is notably illustrated by the creation of 2. Preamble of the Constitution (Islamic Republic of Mauritania) the G5 Sahel (a joint institutional framework between Mali, Mauritania, 3. The world Factbook. www.cia.gov Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad). www.policycenter.ma 2 Policy Center for the New South Policy Brief • Mauritania fears violence from armed factions of the Linking the challenges of terrorism and development is SADR organization should it take a position in favor not insignificant. Stability in the region is a prerequisite of Morocco for its development. The link between combating • Mauritania is divided between Algeria and Morocco terrorism and economic cooperation must be borne in in its choice of alliance. mind in relations between Morocco and Mauritania to • Some Mauritanian tribes feel an ideological and establish intelligence ties between the two countries. cultural proximity with the SADR organization. There are a number of arguments in favor of a strategic A possible transparent agreement between Morocco and relationship between Nouakchott and Rabat in matters Mauritania is thus contingent upon the recognition or non- relating to combating terrorism: recognition of the SADR and, therefore, all the more so, upon future relations between Morocco and Algeria, which • Precariousness and poverty are a significant factor have been at a stalemate for more than 7 years now8. in the recruitment of young people from the region into terrorist groups. • Religious fundamentalism has the power to transcend borders, with risk coming from all countries in the II. Common strategic region. • The development of lawless zones is a fertile interests breeding ground for the spread of terrorism and drug trafficking. Due to its rich subsoil, the Sahel-Saharan zone is of global importance. The stability of this region will determine not These shared realities indicate that Morocco and only the future of the countries within it, but also that of Mauritania have common interests. In terms of relations between European powers, particularly those cooperation, the imperatives of development and involved in the Malian conflict9. The Kingdom of Morocco counterterrorism, which are often interdependent, call for has positioned itself as a major player in West Africa. As consideration of these strategic priorities, as they could a result, cooperation between Morocco and Mauritania is bring Rabat and Nouakchott closer together. As security an important means of establishing regional integration cooperation between the two countries is strengthened, capable of meeting the common challenges of fighting it is likely that greater economic cooperation will be terrorism and economic development. Although the developed and trade routes will be established, providing correlation between terrorism and underdevelopment access to the various West African markets. may seem obvious, the link has not always been accounted for in counter-terrorism policies. Indeed, it can be considered that: 1. Combating terrorism “a strong correlation exists between conditions of The “Sahel-Saharan strip,” or SSS, is the name that underdevelopment and the various forms of conflict. This has prevailed in recent years to describe the natural suggests that the failure to recognize the link between border between the Northern part of the Maghreb