Latest news with #MohamedOuldGhazouani
Memri
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Memri
Mauritanians Continue To Donate Millions To Hamas Military Wing – With The Support Of President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, Who Is Visiting The White House
On July 9, 2025, Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, along with the presidents of Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia and Senegal, met with U.S. President Donald Trump after being officially invited to the White House, as part of the U.S.-Africa summit being held in Washington. Ghazouani's visit is focused on advancing shared U.S.-Mauritania economic interests, including boosting investments and trade and developing natural resources.[1] Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is also reportedly set to meet with President Ghazouani. This meeting, which is to take place on the sidelines of the U.S.-Africa summit, is being brokered by the Trump administration, which is interested in expanding the Abraham Accords.[2] Trump's meeting with the Mauritanian president took place despite the fact that this country fosters terrorism by granting political support and financial assistance to Hamas.[3] As a matter of fact, Mauritania holds direct ties with Hamas, as exemplified by an official visit to Mauritania in 2021 by a Hamas delegation led by then-head of the movement's political bureau Isma'il Haniya, as well as many other visits by Hamas delegations and officials to Mauritanian in the recent years. Moreover, Hamas has an official representation in the Mauritanian capital Nouakchott, which raises funds for the movement's military wing. This fundraising activity intensified after Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, which led to the Gaza war. Since the attack millions of dollars have been raised for Hamas in Mauritania. The funds – provided in local currency[4] – are presented as donations for the people of Gaza, but they are delivered directly to Hamas's representative in Mauritania, Muhammad Subhi Abu Saqer. This enables the movement to channel the money to military purposes rather than civilian ones. At a recent event organized by Hamas in Mauritania, Abu Saqer admitted that the funds raised by Mauritanians were used to purchase arms for Hamas' military wing, the Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades, saying that the Mauritanian aid was "present on the battlefield" and helped the movement to buy arms and excavate tunnels. The donations for Hamas are collected by various tribes in Mauritania and by organizations with direct ties with the movement, such as the Mauritanian Islamic Forum and the National Ribat for Support of the Palestinian People. The Mauritanian Islamic Forum donates one billion ouguiyas ($25 million) to Hamas (Image: December 26, 2024) This report reviews Hamas's continued fundraising efforts in Mauritania. Hamas: Mauritanian President Ghazouani Is One Of Our "Partners In Victory" As stated, Mauritania under President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani maintains direct ties with Hamas. For example, in June 2021 a Hamas delegation headed by then-head of the movement's political bureau, Ismail Haniya, made an official visit to the country and met with President Ghazouani. The delegation also included other senior Hamas officials, such as Moussa Abu Marzouq, Khalil Al-Haya, Izzat Al-Rishq, Taher Al-Nounou and Sami Abu Zuhri. The Mauritanian news agency reported that, during the meeting with President Ghazouani, the Hamas leadership praised him for "politically backing" the Mauritanian public in "expressing its solidarity with Jerusalem, Gaza, the resistance [i.e., Hamas] and the Palestinian people, including [by] launching a donation drive..."[5] Ghazouani, for his part, praised Hamas's "achievements" in "the Sword of Jerusalem campaign," referring to the round of fighting between Hamas and israel in May 2021.[6] President Ghazouani meeting in 2021 with a Hamas delegation headed by the movement's leader at the time, Isma'il Haniya (Image: June 21, 2021) In fact, Mauritania has served for years as a convenient arena for Hamas activity. Hamas delegations led by Sami Abu Zuhri – a senior official of Hamas abroad who holds a Mauritanian passport – made frequent official visits to the country, met with high-ranking figures and participated in mass events. Beyond its ties with the movement and its praise for its activities, Mauritania also allows Hamas to maintain an official representation on its soil, which is responsible for raising vast sums of money for the movement's military wing. President Ghazouani, who supports Hamas and its activities, is held in great esteem by the movement, which credits him with the great success of the fundraising campaigns in the country. This was evident in an event held by the Hamas representation in Mauritania on March 12, 2025, attended by Hamas officials Sami Abu Zuhri and Osama Hamdan. The event was held to thank and praise the Mauritanian donors, and a banner behind the speakers' podium, captioned "Partners in Victory," featured an image of President Ghazouani.[7] Banner at Hamas event in Nouakchott features a portrait of Mauritanian President Ghazouani and the caption "Partners in Victory" (Image: March 12, 2025) Hamas Representative: The Mauritanian Fundraising Efforts Are A Form Of "Jihad"; This Money Has A Part In "Every Explosive Device, Every Bomb, Every Bullet And Every Tunnel" Used By Hamas An event held by Hamas's representation in Mauritania several weeks before this, on February 8, 2025, was also intended to thank the Mauritanian people for their support of the "resistance." The event was attended by Hamas's representative in the country, Muhammad Abu Saqer, and by representatives of the Mauritanian Islamic Forum and the National Ribat for Support of the Palestinian People, two organizations involved in fundraising for Hamas. At this event too, a banner was displayed featuring a photo of President Ghazouani alongside the words: "Thank you, Mauritania." Another banner glorified Hamas leaders killed in the war: Yahya Sinwar, Isma'il Haniya and Saleh Al-Arouri. In his speech at the event, Abu Saqer noted that the donations to the movement were still coming. He quoted the spokesman of Hamas's military wing, Abu Obeida, as saying "Your money and your support have reached us and continue to reach us," and expressed gratitude for "the support and help in strengthening the military power of the Martyr Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades." Abu Saqer described the financial aid extended by Mauritanians to Hamas as a form of jihad, and stated that this money is "present on the battlefield" and facilitates military action and the excavation of tunnels. He said: "Your [fundraising] jihad was [evident] in every explosive device, every bomb, every bullet, every tunnel and every operation that killed the enemies of Allah."[8] Muhammad Abu Saqer speaks at the February 8, 2025 Hamas event in Mauritania (Image: February 8, 2025) Advertisement for the February 8, 2025 Hamas event in Mauritania (Image: February 7, 2025) In his speech at the same event, Sheikhani Bibb, the secretary-general of the Mauritanian "National Ribat for Support of the Palestinian People" organization , praised Hamas's October 7 terror attack and the movement's military wing, which he said had gladdened the Mauritanians by "reviving the spirit of jihad and sacrifice." He emphasized that the situation after the October 7 attack will not be the same as the situation before it, and added that these are the first steps toward the "liberation" of Palestine.[9] Mauritanian Organizations And Tribes Raise Millions For Hamas As noted, since the beginning of the Gaza war, tribes in Mauritania have raised millions of dollars for the Hamas movement. In the recent months these tribes have continued to transfer funds to Hamas's representative in the country, Muhammad Abu Saqer. For example, in January 2025, the Leghlal tribe presented him with a check for one billion ouguiyas ($25 million) as part of "an aid initiative for Gaza." This was the second installment of the donation, following an earlier instalment, of $5.5 million, made by the tribe in February 2024.[10] The Leghlal tribe presents Hamas representative Abu Saqer with a check for one billion ouguiyas ($25 million) as part of an "aid initiative for Gaza" (Image: January 11, 2025) Also conspicuous in their fundraising efforts are the two aforementioned organizations, the Mauritanian Islamic Forum and the National Ribat for Support of the Palestinian People. These organizations stress that the donations are intended for "supporting Gaza" and "supporting the Palestinian people," but in actual fact they collect funds for Hamas in cooperation with the Mauritanian tribes. The following are examples from the recent months: The "National Ribat for Support of the Palestinian People" Organization In January 2025 the Ijman tribe presented this organization, headed by Sheikhani Bibb, with a check for 50 million ouguiyas ($1.25 million) "for supporting Gaza" and "aiding the Palestinian people."[11] The Ijman tribe hands over 50 million ouguiyas ($1.25 million) to the "National Ribat for Support of the Palestinian People" organization as "aid for Gaza" (Image: January 11, 2025) That same month, the Tanadgha tribe raised $2.2 million "for the Palestinian people" via a Whatsapp group and delivered it to the "National Ribat for Support of the Palestinian People" organization. The Tanadgha tribe donates $2.2 million "to the Palestinian people" in cooperation with the "National Ribat for Support of the Palestinian People" organization (Image: January 8, 2025) On February 24, 2025 this organization committed to rebuilding 100 housing units in the Gaza Strip, at a total cost of $400,000.[12] The Mauritanian Islamic Forum In November 2024 the Mauritanian Kunta tribe provided 20 million ouguiyas ($500,000) to the Hamas representative, in cooperation with the Mauritanian Islamic Forum, "for the benefit of the people of Gaza and as further aid for the resistance [i.e., Hamas' military wing]." The check bore the message "marking the anniversary of the Al-Aqsa Flood."[13] The donation provided by the Kunta tribe, in cooperation with the Mauritanian Islamic Forum, "for the benefit of the people of Gaza and as further aid for the resistance" (Image: November 2, 2024) In October 2024, Hamas official Osama Hamdan visited Mauritania and attended a conference of the Mauritanian Islamic Forum. In his speech at the conference he praised the "official and popular efforts in Mauritania" to aid Gaza and its people.[14] Ad by Mauritanian Islamic Forum calling to donate "to your brothers in northern Gaza" (Image: June 21, 2024)
The South African
10-07-2025
- Business
- The South African
President Trump meets African leaders in pivotal US policy shift
President Trump met with five African leaders at the White House on 9 July 2025. Senegal, Liberia, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, and Gabon are West African nations that are part of the summit. With a focus on mutual economic benefits, Trump outlined the goal of shifting from aid to commerce. President Trump praised the visiting leaders and emphasised the importance of strengthening trade ties with Guinea-Bissau, Gabon, Senegal, Liberia, and Mauritania, the countries that are part of the summit. Each president highlighted the country's untapped natural resources during the luncheon. The Mauritanian President, Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, identified lithium, manganese, and uranium as essential resources. In addition to supporting industrialisation, President Brice Oligui Nguema highlighted the need for energy infrastructure and argued for US investment in Gabon's mineral processing sector. President Trump praised the visiting leaders and described their countries as 'vibrant places' with 'very valuable land' and 'great mineral wealth'. Migration and drug trafficking were strategic issues for the US government. Guinea-Bissau and Senegal are vital transit countries for routes used by drug and migration traffickers. One of the many components of current US policy for Liberians living in the United States is the Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) extension, which temporarily delays deportation and is a discretionary presidential directive and not a regulation. Former President Biden issued a memorandum on 28 June 2024, extending the DED for eligible Liberians until 30 June 2026. Until then, eligible Liberian nationals and stateless individuals who last habitually resided in Liberia have protections from deportation under the Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) policy. The US Drug Enforcement Administration recently extradited drug traffickers from Guinea-Bissau to face penalties. In addition, President Trump emphasised using trade as a diplomatic tool to reduce violence and instability in the region. Furthermore, the leaders expressed their support for American peace efforts in Rwanda and the DR Congo. The summit follows the closure of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), ending US foreign aid to Africa. USAID previously accounted for approximately 2.6% of Liberia's gross national income (GNI), the highest aid to GNI ratio globally. According to a University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) global health impact analysis that was published in The Lancet, the termination of USAID programmes could result in more than 14 million needless deaths worldwide by 2030. Over 4.5 million children under five are among the 133 low- and middle-income countries heavily dependent on US foreign aid. Moreover, Guinea-Bissau's President Umaro Sissoco Embaló remains in office, with his five-year term constitutionally set to expire in September 2025. Former Gabon leader Ali Bongo Ondimba faces corruption allegations after the coup in 2023 that installed General Brice Oligui Nguema as the country's leader. During the lunch, President Trump focused on trade and investment, without publicly addressing governance, democracy, or human rights. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 11. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Arab News
31-05-2025
- General
- Arab News
Mauritanian president arrives in Madinah
MADINAH: President of Mauritania Mohamed Ould Ghazouani arrived in Madinah on Saturday to visit and pray at the Prophet's Mosque. Ghazouani was received at Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport by Abdul Mohsen bin Nayef bin Hamid, undersecretary of Madinah; the director of the Royal Protocol Office in the region Ibrahim bin Abdullah Barri; and a number of other officials, the Saudi Press Agency reported. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's Ambassador to Pakistan Nawaf bin Saeed Al-Malki met Mohamed Ali Randhawa, the chairman of Pakistan's Capital Development Authority in Islamabad on Saturday. They discussed issues of common interest, according to a post made by the ambassador on X.
Daily Maverick
30-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
Can Mauritania's new dialogue heal historic divides or will it repeat past failures?
Without guarantees, President Ghazouani's dialogue — the country's sixth — could widen the political divisions that threaten stability. On 27 November 2024, President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani called for a national political dialogue to strengthen social cohesion and consolidate democracy in Mauritania. In doing so, he fulfils an electoral promise and a key political commitment made in his second term. However, opinion is divided on whether this dialogue can succeed, considering that over the past two decades, five political dialogues (in 2004, 2005, 2007, 2017 and 2018) failed to resolve the country's fundamental problems. These include social divisions, poor governance and corruption, electoral dysfunction, the persistence of slavery, and the humanitarian liabilities caused by government abuses against black Mauritanian civil servants and soldiers between 1986 and 1991. According to unofficial figures, Mauritania's population is 70% Arab-Berber (30% Beydane and 40% Haratine) and 30% Afro-Mauritanian (Fulani, Wolof and Soninke). Beydane are historically dominant, holding political and economic power. The president's party and its parliamentary allies view the dialogue as an opportunity to enhance engagement between political actors. But the opposition remains cautious, wary that this might simply repeat previous futile exercises conducted since the country's transition to democracy in 1992. The new dialogue — which does not have a specific time frame — responds to repeated calls from opposition parties seeking an opportunity for frank debate to help solve the country's major challenges. Mauritania has been working to get the national dialogue started since February, with negotiations under way to secure participation from as many political and civil society actors as possible. Ghazouani first held meetings with political party leaders to encourage their involvement. Consultations Then dialogue coordinator Moussa Fall, former head of Mauritania's Central Bank and 1970s student struggle leader, began consultations with various stakeholders to outline the process and ensure their participation. Several political actors have already submitted their proposals for the dialogue's roadmap. However, some opposition leaders have set out conditions that must first be agreed to ensure the dialogue succeeds. The Union of the Forces of Progress demands that Ghazouani guarantee implementation of the dialogue's decisions and establish a consensual follow-up mechanism to ensure action is taken. The Alliance for Justice and Democracy party calls for official recognition of national languages, withdrawal of the national education framework law, and a repeal of the political parties law. The latter law was criticised for giving the Minister of the Interior excessive powers to recognise and dissolve political parties. The most notable rejection of the dialogue process so far is from Biram Dah Abeid, leader of the Initiative for the Resurgence of the Abolitionist Movement, which campaigns against slavery. Abeid was runner-up in the 2014, 2019 and 2024 presidential elections, and demands official recognition of his party. He also wants assurances that the government will resolve the case of young people killed during demonstrations in Kaédi following the announcement of the 2024 election results. Abeid further insists on transparency throughout the dialogue, pledges that its decisions will be implemented, and the appointment of a neutral body to supervise the process, instead of the Ministry of the Interior. The dialogue will have to deal with deeply opposing views on sensitive issues such as national languages, racial discrimination, historical humanitarian abuses and slavery. Arab nationalists in Mauritania argue that opening these issues up for debate could threaten the country's identity and national cohesion. Their recent outbursts on social media and in the press show their determination to oppose any discussion of these matters. 'Buying time' Meanwhile, black Mauritanian activists and the Initiative for the Resurgence of the Abolitionist Movement believe this dialogue will be no different from previous ones. In their view, past dialogues merely bought time for successive governments, as they failed to implement proposed decisions and solutions. Activists and supporters of Abeid's movement demand guarantees that debates will cover all issues without restriction, including building social cohesion and ending slavery practices. They also want the president's personal commitment to implement the dialogue's recommendations. Despite these many reservations, the government is forging ahead to encourage participation. Public opinion and democratic forces in Mauritania generally emphasise the need for national agreement on solving the divisive issues that threaten the country's peace, unity and justice. The planned dialogue has the potential to offer solutions. Ghazouani sought to provide reassurance on 11 March 2025, when he addressed leaders of the majority and opposition parties, expressing his commitment to organise a dialogue that would resolve fundamental problems of national unity and good governance. But in order to break with the tradition of one-off dialogues that achieve little, authorities must do more than make announcements. The success of this initiative will depend on its ability to tackle sensitive issues head-on through a transparent, inclusive process. An independent monitoring mechanism that all participants agree on is vital to ensure that concrete actions are taken in response to the dialogue's decisions. Without meaningful change, Ghazouani's dialogue risks deepening the political divisions it aims to reconcile, threatening stability in Mauritania. DM
