Mauritania grants three-month visas to Moroccan drivers

The Mauritanian authorities have decided to grant a three-month multiple entry visa to Moroccan professional drivers operating in international road transport between Morocco and Mauritania, or between Morocco and the countries of West Africa and the Sahel via Mauritania, according to the Moroccan embassy in Nouakchott. 

‘Thanks to the steps taken by the embassy, the competent Mauritanian authorities have responded positively to the request of Moroccan drivers, allowing them to obtain a multiple entry visa valid for three months to access Mauritanian territory,’ the embassy of the Kingdom said in a statement. 

Before this decision, Moroccan professional drivers had to obtain a visa for each entry into Mauritanian territory, which negatively affected the development of their activity. 

The embassy urges professional drivers and those responsible for international transport companies operating between Morocco and Mauritania, or between Morocco and the countries of the Sahel and West Africa via Mauritania, to apply for three-month multiple-entry visas through the dedicated electronic platform, selecting the option ‘professional driver’. 

‘The Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco also expresses its sincere gratitude to the competent Mauritanian authorities for their prompt and positive response to this matter,’ the statement added. 

This decision is part of a context of growing cooperation between Morocco and Mauritania. Recently, the two countries signed a historic agreement on the interconnection of electricity grids in Nouakchott.

Furthermore, in February 2024, the Royal Armed Forces of Morocco began a strategic 53-kilometre road project that will connect Esmara with the Mauritanian border. This new trade corridor aims to replicate the success of the Guerguerat crossing in Morocco, which has guaranteed vital trade flows since 2020.

Trade relations between the two countries have grown significantly, with trade reaching 300 million dollars in 2023. The recent visa facilitation measure is expected to further strengthen these economic ties by streamlining cross-border transport operations.