Mauritania’s top diplomat, Mohamed Salem Ould Merzoug, will visit Türkiye on Wednesday for talks with Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan focused on expanding cooperation in trade, defense and regional security, Turkish Foreign Ministry sources said.

According to the sources, Fidan is expected to reaffirm Türkiye’s commitment to deepening ties with Mauritania and emphasize the importance of implementing decisions taken during the first Türkiye-Mauritania Joint Economic Commission meeting held in May 2025.

The talks are expected to focus on increasing bilateral trade volume and mutual investments, as well as expanding cooperation in defense and the defense industry.

Fidan is also expected to highlight the potential for closer cooperation in the fisheries, agriculture and mining sectors.

The Turkish foreign minister is anticipated to reiterate Ankara’s support for the economic and social development of Sahel countries and its efforts in combating terrorism in the region.

The two ministers are also expected to discuss strengthening cooperation within multilateral platforms, including the United Nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

Merzoug previously met Fidan in Istanbul during a visit to Türkiye on April 21. The two officials also held talks in Djibouti in 2024 on the sidelines of the Third Türkiye-Africa Partnership Ministerial Review Conference.

Türkiye's embassy in the Mauritanian capital, Nouakchott, was established in 2011, while Mauritania's embassy in Ankara was opened in 2010, according to diplomatic sources.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's visit to Mauritania on Feb. 28, 2018, marked the first presidential-level visit from Türkiye to Mauritania and gave momentum to bilateral relations.