Mauritania to open new border crossing connecting Morocco’s Smara to Bir Moghrein

Mauritania is preparing to open a new international border crossing that will link the Moroccan city of Smara to the northern Mauritanian town of Bir Moghrein through the Amgala region, local media reported.

According to Mauritanian news outlet Anbaa Info, the Ministry of Equipment and Transportation has approved the crossing, and construction on the road connecting Smara to the Mauritanian border is nearing completion.

Officials say the new route is expected to facilitate the movement of people and goods, reduce isolation in northern Mauritania, ease pressure on the Guerguerat crossing, and diversify regional trade routes.

The project is part of a broader national strategy to modernize infrastructure, which includes new highways, bridges, and rail networks.

Mohamed El Mokhtar Ould Sidi Ahmed, director of programming and cooperation at the ministry, told Anbaa Info that Mauritania is also developing a new railway line connecting Choum, Akjoujt, and the capital, Nouakchott.

He said the line is expected to become a key logistics corridor between the capital and the north, especially as Choum grows in importance as a transit hub to the Moroccan border.

The Choum–Nouakchott rail link is expected to gain further strategic relevance with the opening of the Bir Moghrein border crossing. The route is set to complement the existing Guerguerat–Nouadhibou corridor, which currently serves as the primary land link between the two countries.

Mauritanian Foreign Minister Mohamed Salem Ould Merzoug has described relations with Morocco as being in their “best period” in years.

Ties between the two neighbors have strengthened notably, with both governments committed to enhancing economic and political cooperation. Through infrastructure development and expanded trade, Morocco and Mauritania aim to reinforce their historical ties and deepen regional integration.