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Mauritania Investigates Granting of Island to Former Qatari Emir

Then-Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz waits the arrival of his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron at Nouakchott airport, Mauritania, July 2, 2018. (Reuters)
Then-Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz waits the arrival of his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron at Nouakchott airport, Mauritania, July 2, 2018. (Reuters)
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Mauritania Investigates Granting of Island to Former Qatari Emir

Then-Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz waits the arrival of his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron at Nouakchott airport, Mauritania, July 2, 2018. (Reuters)
Then-Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz waits the arrival of his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron at Nouakchott airport, Mauritania, July 2, 2018. (Reuters)

The Mauritanian parliament discussed on Monday amendments to a law establishing the High Court of Justice, which has the authority to prosecute presidents and ministers as per the constitution.

The formation of the court coincides with a parliamentary investigation into corruption files that purportedly involve former President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, who is said to have decided to grant a Mauritanian island to the former Emir of Qatar, Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani in 2012 during what was known as the Arab Spring.

The committee formed by the Mauritanian parliament conducted investigations on infrastructure, roads, real estate and energy deals, and listened to the testimonies of ministers and officials, who worked with Ould Abdel Aziz. The last file opened by the committee before submitting its final report next week pertained to a decision taken by the former president on granting a Mauritanian island to the former emir of Qatar.

The documents obtained by the parliamentary committee, leaked by the local media, showed correspondence between the Qatar embassy in Nouakchott and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar about receiving a “beautiful Mauritanian island” as a gift from Ould Abdel Aziz to Hamad bin Khalifa.

In April 2012, Ould Abdel Aziz appointed a presidential advisor, lawyer Ibrahim Ould Daddah, who was instructed to follow up on the procedures for handing over the island to the Qataris and who was later appointed as Minister of Justice.

The case angered a large number of Mauritanians, especially as the said island is located on a coastal basin on the Atlantic Ocean and is a natural reserve and a safe haven for millions of migratory birds and rare types of fish.

Despite the progress of talks between the Qataris and the regime of Ould Abdel Aziz over the gift, discussions were halted when the former president was shot in October 2012, an incident that sent shockwaves across the country. He survived the attack.

Some members of the Mauritanian parliament believe, however, that the former president’s move, even unfinished, constituted a violation of the constitution and could end up with a charge of high treason against him, thus lifting his immunity.

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Iraq Frustrated by Iran’s Reluctance to Rein in Militias

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has cautioned leaders of the Coordination Framework about the threats facing Iraq due to the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran (X)
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has cautioned leaders of the Coordination Framework about the threats facing Iraq due to the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran (X)
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Iraq Frustrated by Iran’s Reluctance to Rein in Militias

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has cautioned leaders of the Coordination Framework about the threats facing Iraq due to the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran (X)
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has cautioned leaders of the Coordination Framework about the threats facing Iraq due to the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran (X)

A senior government official said Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has warned leaders of the Coordination Framework about the “risks to Iraq” from the growing conflict between Israel and Iran.

The official added that Iran is using “deception” when asked to distance its allied militias from the war.

Political and government figures are increasingly worried that Iraq could be hit, after two Israeli soldiers were killed in a drone strike on the Golan Heights early Friday.

Speaking anonymously to Asharq Al-Awsat, the official said al-Sudani is taking steps to keep Iraq out of the conflict.

These efforts include ramping up “political mediation” to persuade militias not to involve Iraq. The prime minister “informed Coordination Framework leaders of the risks” and urged them to “act quickly.”

The official also warned that an attack is still possible, saying intelligence shows the Iraqi militias launched the strike from outside Iraq, using weapons that came from Iraqi territory.

Al-Sudani’s Mediation Efforts

The Iraqi premier has chosen mediators, approved by Iran, to negotiate with militias about the conflict and conditions for de-escalation. These three individuals have previously acted as mediators in past crises.

Last week, Asharq Al-Awsat reported that al-Sudani asked three key Shiite figures to intervene and prevent militias from getting involved in the war between Hezbollah and Israel, after reports surfaced that Israel had identified 35 Iraqi targets.

Sources confirmed that Ammar al-Hakim is among the mediators, along with two other influential Shiite leaders whose names haven’t been disclosed.

However, two Iraqi militias—likely the al-Nujaba Movement led by Akram al-Kaabi and Kataib Hezbollah led by Abu Hussein al-Hamidawi—have refused to cooperate and continue launching rocket attacks on Israel.

The Iraqi official admitted that some militias are “stubborn,” but stressed that al-Sudani knows Iraq is “at the center of the storm.”

He reportedly told leaders of the Coordination Framework, “Iraq cannot avoid a military strike if it happens, so we must stay out of the war to protect the country.”

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, in a Friday sermon, stated that “Iran’s allies in the region won’t back down,” increasing concerns that Iraqi militias tied to Iran will continue attacking Israel.

Iraqi sources also reported that the Coordination Framework has reviewed an “intelligence report” on dozens of Iraqi targets that Israel might strike or assassinate.

Government Efforts to Prevent Escalation

Al-Sudani has blocked the flow of Iraqi funds into conflict zones, unlike previous leaders, according to the official.

He has worked closely with the US and its Treasury Department to strictly monitor financial movements, often insisting that Iran uses official channels to claim its dues from Iraq.

The official also said global auditing firms are now helping Iraq’s central bank oversee financial transactions, shutting down all previous routes for illicit money flows.

Since the Gaza war began on October 7, 2023, the US told Iraq it pressured Israel not to strike Iraq, as long as Iraq stays out of the conflict, the official added.

The US doesn’t oppose Iraq’s stance of condemning Israel, supporting Lebanon and Palestine, and sending aid.

But it “won’t accept any financial or military support to militias.”

Regarding Iran’s role, the official said Tehran claims militias act independently, dodging responsibility for reining them in.