Mauritania investigates gifting of island to former Qatari Emir

Former Qatari Emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani in Downing Street in 2013. (File/AFP)

• The island is home to millions of migratory birds and rare species of fish
• Mauritanian media leaked documents showing communications between Qatar’s embassy in Nouakchott with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar

DUBAI: Mauritania’s parliament is investigating its former president’s gifting of an island to former Qatari Emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, pan-Arab daily Asharq Al-Awsat reported. 
The case is part of the corruption files which reportedly involve President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, who survived a shooting in October 2012, the report said on Tuesday. 
The island is located on a coastal basin in the Atlantic Ocean and is home to millions of migratory birds and rare species of fish.
The committee, formed by the Mauritanian parliament, investigated several infrastructure deals and heard testimonies of ministers who worked with the former president. The investigation included the gifting of the island to Qatar’s Al-Thani.
Mauritanian media leaked documents showing communications between Qatar’s embassy in Nouakchott with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, discussing the “beautiful Mauritanian island” received from Abdel Aziz.
Amid the investigations, the Mauritania’s parliament was also seeking to make amendments to the law which will allow the High Court of Justice to prosecute high-ranking officials.