ABU DHABI: UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan held talks on Sunday with Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani during the Mauritanian leader’s working visit to the United Arab Emirates, with both sides focusing on bilateral cooperation and fast-moving developments in the Middle East. The meeting centered on expanding ties in areas linked to economic development, with particular attention to renewable energy and other sectors the two governments said could support long-term growth in both countries.
The discussions also underscored a shared push to deepen UAE-Mauritania relations as both countries seek broader economic cooperation and sustainable development. Mauritanian officials had said before the visit that Ghazouani’s trip to Abu Dhabi was part of ongoing consultation and coordination between the two states on issues of common concern, especially regional developments. Sunday’s meeting brought that agenda into a direct exchange at a time of elevated tension across the wider Middle East and growing concern over spillover effects on trade and security.
According to the UAE’s account of the talks, the two presidents reviewed a range of regional and international issues, with a strong focus on Middle East developments and their implications for regional and global stability. Those discussions covered risks to peace and security, as well as knock-on effects for maritime routes, energy supplies and the broader world economy. The scope of the talks placed bilateral ties within a wider diplomatic setting, linking the Abu Dhabi meeting to immediate regional concerns as well as longer-term economic cooperation between the two countries.
UAE and Mauritania focus on regional security
The UAE said the meeting also addressed attacks it attributed to Iran that targeted civilians and civilian infrastructure in the UAE and other countries in the region. Ghazouani reiterated Mauritania’s condemnation of those attacks, the UAE said, describing them as violations of sovereignty and international norms that undermine security and stability. The Mauritanian president also praised measures taken by the UAE to protect its sovereignty and preserve domestic stability, while stressing support for the safety of citizens and residents.
The issue had already featured in contacts between the two leaders earlier this year. In a phone call in March, Mauritania said Ghazouani condemned missile attacks on UAE territory and an attack on the UAE Consulate General in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, while both presidents stressed the need to halt military action and return to diplomacy to avoid further escalation. That earlier exchange gave added continuity to Sunday’s talks, which again combined bilateral matters with wider regional security concerns.
Earlier contacts reinforce ties
The latest presidential meeting also followed other recent diplomatic exchanges between the two countries. In February, UAE Minister of State Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan met Ghazouani in Nouakchott, where both sides discussed closer bilateral relations and ways to advance cooperation across multiple sectors. They also exchanged views on regional developments and the need to strengthen stability. Taken together, those contacts point to a sustained pattern of high-level engagement between Abu Dhabi and Nouakchott in the opening months of 2026.
Senior UAE officials attended Sunday’s meeting, including Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, deputy chairman of the Presidential Court for Special Affairs, and adviser Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, alongside other sheikhs and officials. Ghazouani had arrived in Abu Dhabi earlier in the day with a delegation from Mauritania for the working visit, which his office said was aimed at reinforcing coordination on shared issues and regional developments. – By Content Syndication Services.