Today, the Secretary-General met Nouakchott with H.E. Mr. Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, President of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania.  The Secretary-General commended President Ould Abdel Aziz for his strong support to the UN mediation efforts on Western Sahara. 

The Secretary-General also expressed appreciation for Mauritania’s support to peace efforts in Mali and underscored the need to press the Malian parties to advance in the implementation of the agreement. 

The Secretary-General congratulated the President for his leadership in the Sahel region and through the G-5–Sahel, noting the importance of tackling the root causes of insecurity in Sahel.  The Secretary-General reiterated the UN’s commitment to supporting the region in the framework of the Integrated Strategy for the Sahel.  He also encouraged Mauritania’s efforts against radicalisation and violent extremism, while stressing the importance of ensuring respect for human rights in the process. 

The Secretary-General thanked the President for his proactive engagement in support of human rights reforms, in particular the implementation of laws against slavery, and offered the UN’s support in this regard.

The Secretary-General concluded by thanking President Abdel Aziz for Mauritania’s valued contribution to UN peacekeeping and Mauritania’s hospitality towards the 50,000 Malian refugees who have sought refuge in the country.