President of Mauritanian Community in New York: “President’s U.S Visit is Historic and Reflects American Interest in Mauritania”
Engineer Banmou Ould Sidi Ould Banmou, President of the Mauritanian community in New York City, stated that the official visit being undertaken by His Excellency President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani to the United States of America — at the invitation of the U.S. government and President Donald Trump — is “unprecedented in the history of Mauritanian-American relations.”
In an exclusive statement to the Mauritanian News Agency, he explained that this visit reflects a significant, clear, and explicit American interest in Mauritania, attributing this to several key factors, including Mauritania’s strategic location in the Sahel region and its vital role therein, in addition to its geopolitical and security position in a region rife with unrest and armed conflict.
He added that the political and security stability currently prevailing in Mauritania is a major factor attracting the attention of major world powers economically — not just the United States.
He affirmed that Mauritania possesses “great economic potential” of interest to the United States, particularly in the energy sector, whether through the exploitation of gas, oil, green hydrogen, or solar energy, as well as its mineral wealth. He added that “these positive indicators and the abundance of such resources may be among the reasons that have led the United States to take an increased interest in Mauritania recently.”
Regarding the impact of this visit on the Mauritanian community residing in the United States, Banmou said that “America is a country of law,” and that the Mauritanian community is subject to the law just like all other communities and American citizens alike. Therefore, “there will be no direct impact” on the community in this regard.
Nevertheless, he pointed to the possibility of “positive outcomes in various areas,” including easier visa issuance and enhanced cultural cooperation such as university scholarships and vocational training.
He anticipated broader security and economic cooperation, including development in its various aspects such as agricultural development and security.
Engineer Banmou Ould Sidi Ould Banmou concluded his statement to the agency by saying:
“I consider it a historic visit and a major indicator of the progress of Mauritanian-American relations.”