VZCZCXRO5272
RR RUEHPA RUEHTRO
DE RUEHNK #0613 2701141
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 271141Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8791
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUCNMGH/MAGHREB COLLECTIVE
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0857
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 0049
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1215
RUEHDS/USMISSION USAU ADDIS ABABA

C O N F I D E N T I A L NOUAKCHOTT 000613 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/23/2014 
TAGS: BBSR ECON EINV MR PINR
SUBJECT: C-CI9-01825 RUSSIAN BUSINESS PRESENCE IN MAURITANIA 
 
REF: A. STATE 088241 
 
Classified By: CDA DENNIS HANKINS, REASON 1.4 B AND D 
 
¶1. (C). As requested in REFTEL, Embassy Nouakchott reviewed 
current Russian business interests in Mauritania: 
 
¶A. Russia does not have a trade representative or office in 
Mauritania, and has no plans to establish such an office in 
the near future.  There is an agreement between the Russian 
agency responsible for fisheries and the Mauritanian Ministry 
of Fisheries to facilitate trade and training in the 
Mauritanian fishing sector. 
 
¶B.  There is currently an agreement for onshore exploration 
of oil and natural gas fields in Mauritania with the 
British-Russian group IPG (International Petroleum Group). 
IPG has a concession to conduct surveys of hydrocarbon 
resources in the interior of Mauritania, and there are about 
a dozen Russian geologists working on this project. This is 
currently the only sizeable Russian business investment in 
Mauritania. 
 
¶C.  Rough estimates of Russian trade for 2008 indicate Russia 
imported between USD 20-30 million of fish products from 
Mauritania. Russia exported between USD 10-15 million of 
Russian products to Mauritania, predominantly large 
industrial machinery for use in the mining and petroleum 
exploration industries. 
 
¶D.  Russian investment in Mauritania has been minimal. The 
Russian Embassy claims trade has been fairly static, with no 
planned expansion.  They also played down the role of Russian 
investments in the natural gas and petroleum industries. A 
senior contact in the Mauritanian Ministry of Petroleum and 
Energy indicated that Gazprom is interested in investing in 
the natural gas industry and that the number two executive of 
Gazprom will soon be visiting Mauritania to discuss 
investment opportunities. This contact confidentially said 
there have been talks to have President Medvedev visit 
Mauritania to discuss expanded Russian investment in 
Mauritanian hydrocarbon industries. (Comment: As the 
Mauritanian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy struggles to 
find investors in the energy field, it is not uncommon for 
the Ministry to broadcast an overconfident estimate of 
petroleum reserves and international interest in Mauritanian 
investments, therefore such pronouncements cannot be 
confirmed as more than rumor at this time.  End Comment 
 
¶E. The Mauritanian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy is 
actively seeking international investment from many players, 
including Russia. There have been no efforts to develop a 
tourism industry specifically for Russian citizens. 
 
¶F.  During the Cold War, Russia had an active scholarship 
program to educate Mauritanian doctors and engineers in the 
Soviet Union.  Russia still grants about 8-10 annual 
scholarships for graduate studies in Russia. As a result, 
approximately 150-200 Russian citizens reside in Mauritania, 
mostly spouses and children of Mauritanian citizens who 
studied in the USSR.  There are less than 20 full-time 
Russian residents in Mauritania engaged in business 
interests. 
HANKINS