Russia's Lavrov and Mauritania's FM Merzoug Hold Joint Press Conference in Nouakchott

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in Mauritania on Tuesday for talks with the Mauritania’s President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation, and Affairs of Mauritanians Abroad Mohamed Salem Ould Merzoug.

Sergey Lavrov and his Mauritanian counterpart Salem Ould Merzoug are holding a joint press conference following bilateral talks in Nouakchott on Wednesday.

The two sides were expected to discuss bilateral cooperation across a wide range of areas, as well as regional and international issues. According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, they planned to hold talks on the situation in North Africa and the Middle East, in the Sahara-Sahel region, the state of affairs in the Western Sahara, Middle East settlement, the situation in and around Syria, as well as other subjects of mutual interest.

This is the first time a Russian foreign minister has visited Mauritania since the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations in 1964. After Mauritania, Lavrov is expected to travel to Sudan.

Yesterday, the minister visited Mali, where he discussed the expansion of military-technical and economic cooperation with the country's leaders.

Earlier this week, the Russian top diplomat went to Iraq for talks on energy and food security in light of the Ukraine conflict. Last month, Lavrov also conducted an Africa tour, visiting four countries on the continent - South Africa, Eswatini, Angola, and Eritrea.

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