Saudi Gazette report

NOUAKCHOTT — Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, deputy premier and minister of defense, held wide ranging talks with President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz of Mauritania at the presidential palace in Nouakchott on Sunday.

Three agreements and memoranda of understanding were signed on the sidelines of the visit of the Crown Prince, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

An extended session of officials talks was held in the presence of members of the delegations of the two countries. The talks mainly focussed on aspects of further improving bilateral ties as well as opportunities for enhancing bilateral cooperation. The two leaders also discussed major developments in the region.

Following the session, Minister of Media Awwad Al-Awwad announced that Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman has issued a directive to establish King Salman Hospital in Nouakchott with a capacity of 300 beds. The announcement was made in the presence of the Crown Prince and the Mauritanian president.

Al-Awwad said the hospital includes emergency department, outpatient clinic, surgery department, oncology center, cardiology center, dialysis center, obstetrics and gynecology department, pediatric department, endoscopy department, laboratory, intensive care unit, diagnostic radiology department, central pharmacy, central sterilization and inpatient rooms.

King Salman also issued a directive to renovate King Faisal Mosque.

The Crown Prince and Mohamed Ould attended the signing ceremony of three agreements and memoranda of understanding between the two countries. These include an agreement to avoid double taxation, a MoU for cooperation in the field of water and sanitation, and MoU in the field of wildlife.

At the end of the session, Minister of Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir and his Mauritanian counterpart Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed read a joint statement in which they said that the talks between the Crown Prince and Mohamed Ould focused on means of enhancing bilateral relations as well as issues of common interest at Arab, regional and international levels. The two leaders’ views were identical on the issues discussed.

President Mohamed Ould reiterated Mauritania’s condemnation of any threat to the security of the Kingdom, including the ballistic missile attacks. He also appreciated the Kingdom’s efforts to alleviate the humanitarian suffering of the Yemeni people and to preserve the security and stability of the region and its international waterways.

The Mauritanian side reiterated its condemnation of the malicious campaign against the Kingdom, praising the pioneering role played by the Kingdom in serving Arabs and Muslims as well as in supporting the establishment of peace and security in the world

The two sides affirmed their firm support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, foremost of which is the establishment of an independent state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with the Arab peace initiative and the relevant international resolutions.

Regarding the Yemeni issue, the two sides affirmed their support for efforts to reach a political solution to the Yemeni crisis in accordance with Security Council resolution 2216, the Gulf Initiative and its executive mechanism and the outcomes of the comprehensive Yemeni national dialogue. They also stressed their keenness on the unity, stability and territorial integrity of Yemen.

Later, President Mohamed Ould saw off the Crown Prince who left Mauritania after a visit that lasted several hours.