VISIT BY THE MAURITANIAN DELEGATION TO THE CNPIC

From December 1 to 6, 2025, Spain hosted a high-level study visit for Mauritanian officials, focusing on strengthening national capacities for the protection of critical infrastructure against terrorist threats and other complex risks. The initiative is part of the United Nations Global Program on Countering Terrorist Threats to Vulnerable Targets and is made possible thanks to the generous contribution of the Kingdom of Spain.

The visit was organized by the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism, in close collaboration with the National Center for Critical Infrastructure Protection (CNPIC) and with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union, and Cooperation.

On December 2 and 3, the Mauritanian delegation visited the CNPIC at the headquarters of the Security Technology Center (CETSE) in El Pardo (Madrid). The delegation was made up of senior officials from various agencies, including representatives from the Arab Maghreb Union Affairs Service in the African Affairs Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Office of Bilateral Cooperation of the General Staff of the Mauritanian Armed Forces, the General Staff of the National Gendarmerie, the Ministry of the Interior, the Mauritanian Agency for Maritime Affairs, the Mauritanian Coast Guard, and the National Guard, as well as H.E. Ms. Zeineb Ely Salem, Ambassador of Mauritania in Spain.

During the working sessions, the Mauritanian representatives learned about Spain's regulatory framework for critical infrastructure protection, inter-institutional coordination mechanisms, and public-private collaboration in the area of security and resilience of essential services.

The agenda included two technical visits to the headquarters of Canal de Isabel II and to the Calle 30 tunnel infrastructure in Madrid, which allowed the delegation to learn about the management carried out by critical operators in strategic urban environments.

This study visit underscores the commitment of Spain and the United Nations to strengthening international cooperation and the exchange of best practices to improve the protection and resilience of critical infrastructure, contributing to the improvement of regional security and stability.