EU authorities have received a promise from Mauritania's military rulers that they will make proper use of EU cash in a four-year fishing deal, paving the way for funds to start flowing after nearly a month of delay.
EU ministers agreed the deal with Mauritania in July, the bloc's single largest such agreement, committing to pay 86 million euros ($123.4 million) by August 31 for the right to fish in Mauritania's waters in year one. But in early August, the country had a military coup that deposed the president. As yet, the EU has not paid its first tranche of cash, saying it needs to be sure Mauritania's new rulers will abide by the deal struck by the previous government.
The fees vary from 70 to 76 million for the following years. Speaking at a news conference on Monday, EU Fisheries Commissioner Joe Borg said he would ask the full membership at the EU's executive Commission to release the first tranche of funding once he had the backing of EU governments to do so.
"I will be reporting ... that we have received a letter from the Mauritanian government ... confirming they would strictly observe the terms of the fisheries partnership agreement which was concluded just a few days before the coup," Borg said. Borg would inform EU ministers of the Mauritanian letter later on Monday, he said. If they endorsed payment, he would ask Commission authorities to transfer the cash, he said.
The EU's Mauritanian catch is set at 250,000 tonnes a year. Octopus, crab and crawfish, as well as sardines, anchovies and lobster, are the main catches. Fishing licences are allocated to several EU states, of which Spain is by far the most significant. Given that the Commission did not made any payment before August 31, Mauritania has the right under the agreement terms to suspend the entire deal if no cash is received by October 15.