Jamal Taleb, lawyer and advisor to the Islamic Republic of Mauritania on energy matters, has issued a firm statement regarding the Grand Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) gas project. While voices in both Senegal and Mauritania regularly question the contracts for the GTA project, the Islamic Republic of Mauritania's energy advisor believes these criticisms are unfounded and stem primarily from a misunderstanding of international law.

"In Mauritania, there are people who attack the 50/50, who say it's theft... but they don't know the facts. And it's the same in Senegal; those who attack the 50/50 don't know the facts," he believes.

 

When questioned about transparency in the project's management, Mr. Taleb pointed out that gas contracts are private agreements subject to confidentiality obligations. "The Mauritanian Petroleum Code clearly states: confidentiality of contracts," he said, dismissing the idea that there was an attempt to withhold information from the public. "The contracts are not hidden. They are approved by public institutions and known to the regulatory authorities. Nothing is being done in secret," Mr. Taleb insisted.

 

However, the guest on RFM's "Grand Jury" program this Sunday, November 23, 2025, asserts that the solution adopted between Dakar and Nouakchott on this project not only conforms to international standards, but also reflects pragmatic diplomacy that avoided unnecessary tensions. "They reached an agreement and said: rather than engaging in pointless battles that will cause each country to lose part of its territory... let's remain friends and share," the lawyer said, noting that the two countries prioritized de-escalation in a potentially explosive situation.

 

Addressing the operational agreement, Mr. Taleb emphasized the unity of the two national companies, Petrosen on the Senegalese side and SMH on the Mauritanian side. "The two national companies get along very well," he stated, specifying that this cohesion is particularly evident in phase 2 of the project, considered the most crucial. According to him, it is precisely this coordinated approach that puts Mauritania and Senegal in a strong position vis-à-vis international companies.

 

OMVS: a pillar more important than gas

 

Beyond gas, he emphasizes another major area of cooperation: the Organization for the Development of the Senegal River (OMVS). Jamal Taleb considers this organization "ten times more important than GTA," because it deals with water, electricity, the environment, and river navigation—sustainable resources, unlike hydrocarbons.

 

He believes that countries should invest more in utilizing the 19 billion cubic meters of water that flow into the ocean each year without being exploited.