Nouakchott port: Arise Arise accepts peace deal with Mauritanian government in secret

摘要

After six months of intense negotiations with the Mauritanian government, Arise Mauritanie has signed an amendment to its concession contract for the construction and running of a container terminal at the Port Autonome de Nouakchott. The joint venture between investment funds Arise Port & Logistics and Meridiam had come under close scrutiny during its more than year-long battle with the state and at one point French president Emmanuel Macron had felt compelled to step in on its behalf (Africa Intelligence, 14/07/20). No changes have been made to the concession period but the amendment does introduce a few tweaks to the exclusivity cause that the French-Singaporean venture had secured from Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz's government. The consortium has had to make considerable concessions with regard to its royalties and rates. The port authority, which previously did not have the right to inspect progress on the site, has been given wider scope to intervene. On 22 October, after seven months of enforced closure, Arise Mauritanie was given the allclear from the government to resume work on the terminal that was already months behind schedule.