Lavrov: Russia and Mauritania alarmed by tensions in the Sahara-Sahel region

NOUAKCHOT, February 8 – RIA Novosti. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said he was alarmed by the tension in the Sahara-Sahel region, where it is necessary for Russia and Mauritania to join forces to combat the growing manifestations of terrorism.

Lavrov arrived in Mauritania on Tuesday evening. This is the first foreign minister-level visit to the Islamic Republic since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the countries in 1964. He was scheduled to meet with the president and foreign minister on Wednesday.

“We talked about the problems of the African continent. We, like our Mauritanian colleagues, are concerned about the growing tension in the Sahara-Sahel region, where it is necessary to combine efforts to more effectively fight the manifestations of terrorism that do not disappear anywhere and even grow to some extent,” he said.

According to the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry, the parties also touched on the Western Sahara agreement. “Russia was a member of the Western Sahara Friends Group, which took concrete steps to implement the current resolutions of the Security Council. But now there has been a pause in this matter. We consider it necessary to return to active search. He said he needed to take steps.