Mauritanian municipality clarifies partnership with Dakhla amidst Polisario criticism

Amid mounting criticism from the Polisario Front and its supporters in Mauritania, the municipality of Toujounine felt compelled to issue a clarifying statement. The move followed the signing, last Tuesday, of a partnership and cooperation agreement between its mayor, Ahmed Salem Ahmed Habib Allah Al-Filali, and the municipality of Dakhla.

The Toujounine municipality explained that the visit by its mayor, accompanied by three aides, was part of an initiative aimed at fostering «fruitful partnerships to improve municipal conditions, train staff, enhance city diplomacy, and support the decentralization process».

In its statement, the municipality clarified that the agreement signed during the visit was a partnership agreement, not a twinning agreement, as had been inaccurately reported by some outlets. The statement noted that «the subject was misrepresented».

The municipality of Toujounine reaffirmed its full commitment to the decisions and directives of the Mauritanian government, underscoring its respect for the state's positions on various issues and conflicts, particularly «its neutral stance on the Sahrawi issue».