China has promised to assist the Mauritanian government with extensions to the port at Nouakchott in deviance of global moves against the country.
The assistance from China is worth $280 million and comes in defiance of moves by the African Union, the United States and the European Union to introduce sanctions against Mauritania following a coup carried out last August by General Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz.
The European Union has threatened to withhold $230m worth of developmental funding while the United States has suspended military aid including security training while imposing travel restrictions on Mauritanian coup leaders. The African Union has suspended the country from AU membership and is working with the European Union, the United States, the Arab League, and the Islamic Conference to sanction Mauritania’s military rulers.
China, which has extensive investments in the West African country, including oil exploration says it will provide the money to extend the port quays by a further 900 metres and, according to the Chinese ambassador, has ‘exemplary relations’ that will be furthered. Chinese contractors are said to have almost $700 million worth of projects currently underway within Mauritania.
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