The OPV 'Audaz' docks in the Mauritanian port of Nouadhibou.

• The Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) 'Audaz' has been docked for a week in Nouadhibou, carrying out various activities to reinforce and strengthen ties with Mauritania

As part of its deployment to the West African coast and the Gulf of Guinea, the OPV 'Audaz' has been docked for a week in the port of Nouadhibou, where it has carried out a number of activities to provide presence and support for the State's external action, in coordination with the Mauritanian authorities. Mauritania is an essential country for Spain, with which it shares an Atlantic coastline and from which it is separated by less than 500 nautical miles.

Landing in Nouadhibou (Mauritania)

After almost four months deployed and having travelled a distance equivalent to three trips between Madrid and Tokyo, the OPV 'Audaz' recently called into the port of Nouadhibou. During the stopover, a number of activities were carried out in coordination with the Mauritanian authorities, which allowed the deep cooperation ties between the two countries to be strengthened. Spain is a committed and reliable partner, with a great deal of experience in maritime security, and shares with Mauritania the objective of achieving a secure maritime environment on a global scale. This stopover in Nouadhibou has been the longest of all those made by the OPV 'Audaz' in this deployment, which projects a strong message of our country's commitment to Mauritania.

Defence Diplomacy

Durante la escala en puerto, el buque recibió a bordo a la embajadora de España en la República Islámica de Mauritania, Miriam Álvarez de la Rosa Rodríguez, con los correspondientes honores reglamentarios. Y aprovechando su presencia a bordo, se ofreció una recepción con arriado solemne de bandera para todas las autoridades civiles y militares mauritanas de la región. Asimismo, se mantuvieron encuentros con dichas autoridades en sus correspondientes sedes, para reforzar los vínculos entre España y Mauritania, especialmente en materia de Seguridad y Defensa. Por su parte, la colonia española residente en Nuadibú también tuvo la oportunidad de visitar el buque durante la escala, y se llevaron a cabo algunos encuentros con españoles que trabajan en el sector pesquero, de gran importancia en la región. Las actividades de diplomacia de Defensa en Mauritania no sólo refuerzan los vínculos entre este país y los intereses de España, sino que fortalecen la acción exterior del Estado en su contribución a la paz y seguridad internacional. 

Deployment of the OPV 'Audaz'

The deployment of the OPV 'Audaz' to the West African coast and the Gulf of Guinea is a long-term mission, which began on 15 January in Cartagena, and has already visited nine African countries, both in the northern and southern hemispheres. At sea, the ship is carrying out maritime surveillance and environmental awareness activities on a permanent basis, in full coordination with the coastal countries, thus contributing to increasing maritime security in the region. It has also participated in the Obangame Express 2023 and Flintlock 2023 exercises and in two events of the EU's PASSMAR programme. The ship is part of the Maritime Operational Command (MOM), based in Cartagena, and under the operational control of the Operations Command (MOPS).