Von der Leyen, along with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and European banking and industry representatives, met with Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani last week in Nouakchott to discuss regional security, migration and green hydrogen development.
The Commission President said the EU wants to produce 10 million tonnes of green hydrogen per year by 2030, but it also needs to import a further 10 million tonnes and is therefore looking for partners abroad. With the right investment and infrastructure, Mauritania could harness more than 350 gigawatts of renewable wind and solar energy, she added.
But somewhat surprisingly, given concerns about deindustrialization in Europe, von der Leyen also suggested Mauritania could enter the competition green steel with the EU.
“Mauritania is... the second largest iron producer in Africa, and most of the iron is exported as raw ore,” she noted. “But if clean energy comes into play, processing into green steel can stay here in Mauritania and that is a huge step because it is value added, jobs are here, prosperity is here.”
“You can export premium iron and green steel. The technology works, but... the production of green steel requires significant costs, and this is green hydrogen,” she continued.
“Demand for green hydrogen and potentially green steel in Mauritania in the single European market will grow exponentially... This is an excellent business case,” says von der Leyen. The Commission will support the creation of the necessary infrastructure and training of the local workforce, she added.
A European business mission will visit Mauritania in March to explore investment opportunities after a meeting on February 8 in Nouakchott.
