Effects of Strategic Rivalries on Non-Rival Neighboring Small States

This research sheds light on the remarkable political stability that has prevailed for more than a decade in Mauritania, a Sahelian country that has notably not been affected by the spillover effects of military coups in the Sahel. In understanding Mauritania’s political stability—evidenced by the country's first peaceful and constitutional transition of power in 2019 and the absence of any coups since 2009—the paper offers an explanation based on the impact of strategic rivalries on non-rival small states. Specifically, it examines how Mauritania, which has been subject to pressures from the Algeria-Morocco strategic rivalry, deflected these pressures and achieved political stability through shelter diplomacy. Since 2010, Mauritania has managed to secure shelter with France, elevating its relations with Paris to the highest level in their bilateral history. This is evidenced by hosting the G5 Sahel headquarters, engaging in very active summitry with Paris, hosting French soldiers, and chairing the AU summits in 2018 and 2024, despite pressures from terrorism and the historically threatening Algeria-Morocco strategic rivalry.