Relationship dossier
Mauritania
Saudi Arabia
Relationship assessment
Political alignment and Saudi development support underpin cooperative Mauritania–Saudi Arabia ties.
Mauritania toward Saudi Arabia
+40Mauritania aligned with Saudi Arabia during the 2017 Gulf crisis, severing diplomatic relations with Qatar amid the Saudi-led dispute. Mauritania has also participated in Saudi-led regional initiatives, though the extent of its practical contribution is unclear.
Saudi Arabia toward Mauritania
+40Saudi Arabia has provided development financing and support to Mauritania, including through the Saudi Fund for Development. The scale and implementation of individual projects are unclear.
Overall relationship
+40The relationship combines Saudi development financing with Mauritanian political alignment on regional issues, including the 2017 Qatar dispute. These features indicate sustained cooperation, although the breadth and practical depth of bilateral programs are uncertain.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Mauritania and Saudi Arabia have maintained a cooperative relationship, including Saudi development financing and Mauritania’s alignment with Saudi-led regional initiatives. In 2017, Mauritania severed diplomatic relations with Qatar amid the Saudi-led dispute. The relationship reflects meaningful political and development cooperation, though the scope and implementation of bilateral projects are not fully clear.
Key developments
Mauritania severed diplomatic relations with Qatar during the Saudi-led Gulf dispute.
Saudi Arabia provided development financing for projects in Mauritania through the Saudi Fund for Development.
Major uncertainties
- The scale and implementation of Saudi-funded development projects in Mauritania are unclear.
- The extent of Mauritania’s practical participation in Saudi-led regional initiatives is uncertain.