Against the backdrop of accelerating global energy transition, Mauritania, a North African country, is becoming a new hotspot for international green hydrogen investment due to its superior renewable resource conditions. Recently, energy companies from China and Poland signed framework agreements with the Mauritanian government to jointly invest in the construction of large-scale green hydrogen and ammonia production bases in this North African country, with a total investment of billions of dollars.This move marks Mauritania's accelerated efforts to establish a renewable energy export system and its potential to become a key link in Europe's green energy supply chain.

Under the agreement, Polish ammonia producer Hynfra plans to invest $1.5 billion near the capital Nouakchott to build a plant with an annual production capacity of 100,000 tons of green fuel, with exports expected to begin in 2030 through the Port of Friendship. China United Energy Group (UEG) plans to advance a larger green ammonia project in the northern and central regions of the country, with an annual production target of 1 million tons, and is considering further utilizing green hydrogen to produce green steel.Mauritania is considered an ideal base for green hydrogen production and export due to its excellent solar and wind conditions, vast land resources, and geographical proximity to Europe. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visited last year to encourage the country to export green hydrogen and green steel to the EU. The Spanish government has also pledged €200 million in financial support to help develop its green hydrogen industry.

Despite its significant resource advantages, the country's green hydrogen industry still faces challenges. The CWP large-scale project, originally scheduled to make a final investment decision this year, has been postponed due to a lack of offtake agreements.However, Tomoho Umeda, President of Hynfra Poland, emphasized that "Mauritania has the best conditions in the world for developing renewable energy," and that combining this with Poland's mature ammonia synthesis technology will bring "a unique opportunity with global significance." Leslie Chang, Vice President of UEG, also affirmed Mauritania's advantages in wind and solar resources and policy support.At the signing ceremony, the Mauritanian Minister of Energy and Petroleum stated that these agreements embody the nation's commitment to tapping into the potential of green hydrogen and leading the regional energy transition, and that green hydrogen will bring sustainable growth and employment opportunities to Mauritania and the entire region.

With the signing of these significant agreements, Mauritania is taking a solid step towards becoming a major global supplier of green energy. These projects will not only help the EU achieve its renewable energy import targets, but will also provide a demonstration of how African countries can transform their natural resource advantages into green development momentum.Amidst the global energy transition, Mauritania, with its unique resources and strategic positioning, is writing a new chapter in African energy development. / Edited by Xu Shengpeng