Mauritania interest in Laayoune-style territory resurfaces in reports

A report by the French magazine Jeune Afrique has highlighted renewed interest from Mauritania regarding the city of Guerguerat (Laayoune/Kouira), located at the southern edge of the Moroccan Sahara. The report suggests that Nouakchott may be seeking to reintroduce the issue of the city into regional territorial equations.

While the report discusses potential political maneuvering, it notes there is no definitive proof of an official Mauritanian proposal to exchange support for Morocco’s position on the Sahara in return for sovereignty over the city. The renewed interest coincides with Morocco’s strategic focus on developing its Atlantic coast and significant economic projects in the region.

Economic factors are playing a major role, with reports of interest from Emirati investors aiming to transform the area into an economic hub similar to Dubai, bolstered by the prospects of the 2030 World Cup in Morocco. Historically, Mauritania had renounced its claims to the territory following a 1979 peace agreement with the Polisario Front, but the strategic and economic value of the Atlantic coastline is driving new regional discussions.