Mauritania has agreed to supply neighboring Senegal with 80 megawatts of electricity starting in March 2015.
"Mauritania undertakes to associate Senegal in negotiations with different actors involved in the supply of gas, as well as the financing, construction and operation of an electricity-generating gas project," according to a joint press statement released Wednesday.
The amount can be increased to 120 megawatts, and Mauritania will increase the amount to 250 megawatts in the projects's second phase.
Senegal recently announced its desire to purchase energy from Mauritania, which has begun producing energy via its offshore gas fields.
The two countries have also agreed to develop a joint industrial mining project.
The energy/industrial agreements crowned a two-day visit by Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel-Aziz to Senegal.
According to the joint statement, presidents Macky Sall and Abdel-Aziz also welcomed the prospects for security cooperation between the two countries in view of the terrorist threat to the entire sub-Saharan Sahel region.
The two presidents stressed the need to bolster cooperation by coordinating their activities and sharing strategic information to respond to multiple security challenges.
On the issue of peace and security in the Sahel-Saharan region, the two leaders stressed the need for continued cooperation between all countries concerned.
In May, Senegal's army chief visited Mauritania and agreed with his Mauritanian counterpart to beef up border patrols and checkpoints, as well as to improve monitoring of the Senegal River and secure the coast through stepped-up cooperation between the two countries' naval forces.
Mauritania also voiced support for Senegal's non-permanent membership in the UN Security Council in 2016/2017.
The two African leaders also welcomed the improved security situation in neighboring Mali and the its "return to constitutional order."
"We welcome the positive developments in the security situation and the political process in Mali, which has led to the return to constitutional order," read the joint statement.
Abdel-Aziz arrived in Senegalese capital Dakar on Tuesday for a two-day visit aimed at enhancing bilateral cooperation between the two West African neighbors, especially in the field of energy.
He was welcomed at the airport by President Sall, who was accompanied by several government ministers and senior officials.
Sall last visited Mauritania in March to attend the 15th summit of the Organization to Develop Senegal River, better known by its abbreviation in French, OMVS.
Senegal, Mali and Mauritania are all members of the organization establiished to develop the 1,790-km-long river.
OMVS also works to enhance regional cooperation, particularly in the field of hydroelectric power.
Senegal and Mauritania have enjoyed peaceful relations since a 1989 border conflict between the two neighbors in which hundreds from both sides were said to have been killed.
At the time, Senegalese living and working in Mauritania left the country, as did Mauritanian expats in Senegal.
Currently, however, numerous Senegalese nationals live and work in Mauritania and vice versa.
Report By Sadibou Marone in Dakar
englishnews@aa.com.tr
