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WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
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Mauritania
Index
Saudi-financed mosque in Nouakchott
Courtesy Larry Barrie
In 1987 Mauritania had generally cordial relations with the
Arab states of the Middle East, which have provided it with
substantial amounts of economic aid. Since the mid-1970s,
Mauritania has had especially close ties with Saudi Arabia,
Kuwait, and Iraq. Kuwait has provided substantial amounts of food
and medicines. Iraq has funded the construction of health and
sanitation facilities, schools, and thermal generating stations
and has also invested in local mining, fishing, and gypsum
industries. Both Saudi Arabia and Iraq--until Iraq became mired
in the Iran-Iraq War beginning in 1980--have provided direct
budgetary subsidies to the Mauritanian government. In return,
Mauritania has lent moral support to Iraq; and in June 1987,
following a visit to Nouakchott by a representative of the
Kuwaiti government, Taya severed diplomatic relations with Iran
to protest its supposed unwillingness to negotiate a settlement
in the Iran-Iraq War. (At the same time, Taya, unlike many of his
African counterparts, has steadfastly refused to accuse Iran of
supporting radical Islamic fundamentalism in his country,
presumably because of his policy of remaining on good terms with
all Middle Eastern states.)
Data as of June 1988
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