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16 RegionalIntegrationinAfrica:BridgingtheNorth-Sub-SaharanDivide Introduction The African continent – perhaps more than any other continent – is subject to many divisions, including geographic (north, west, east, south) geo-linguistic (e.g. Francophone, Anglophone, Lusophone) and geopolitical (e.g. Horn, Great Lakes, Sahel) classifications. The division of the continent along the Saharan desert between North and Sub-Saharan Africa can be said to stem from various factors, such as geographic, cultural and geostrategic. This chapter looks at the latter division without delving into the discussions about which of the many factors prevails in this regard. However, if one were to look at the geographic factor, it becomes apparent that the natural (Saharan) border between the so-called Arab (North Africa) and black Africa is shared by four of the six North African countries (Egypt, Libya, Algeria and Mauritania). But of these four countries, Mauritania arguably constitutes the most visible entrance point and the bridge between the two parts of the African continent. Besides its geographic location, sharing the largest strips of its borders with two Sub-Saharan countries (Mali and Senegal), the demographic composition of the Mauritanian society has led some analysts to describe it as being ‘neither Arab nor African’.1 In any case, the country is a veritable ‘frontier state’ according to this division.2 Itmustbenoted,fromtheoutset,thatthe‘Saharanborder’doesnotconstituteawallbetween the people on both sides. Culturally, there is a great deal of interaction across the divide, not least the Islamic faith that unites many North and Sub-Saharan Africans. Politically, a North African country such as Morocco has had better relations with a Sub-Saharan country like Senegal than with its neighbouring North African state Algeria. The main point of this chapter is to show that there is at least a geopolitical division between North and Sub-Saharan Africa, which has created perceptions on both sides of the divide, either in imagination or reality. Yet bridging this divide should ideally start from within countries that have mixed demographic compositions linked to the two sides of the divide. Mauritania is one of those countries. The estimated three million people that make up Mauritania’s population comprise a majority ‘black’ population from various ethnic origins, the bulk of which (so-called Haratine) often have a past history of enslavement by the lighter-skinned Moors (the Beydanes) who have ruled the country since it regained independence from France in November 1960. Some of the black ethnic groups, particularly the Halpulaaren (Fulani), the Wolof, the Bambara and the Soninke can easily relate to members of the same ethnic groups in neighbouring Senegal and Mali.3 To avoid confusion in terminology, the three main ethno-cultural families in Mauritania will be identified as follows: (i) ‘Beydan’, ‘white moors’ or ‘Arabs’ will be used for lighter-skinned Mauritanians; (ii) ‘Haratine’ will refer to black Moors; while (iii) ‘black’ and ‘negro’ will be used interchangeably for non-Moorish black Mauritanians with ethnic kin in the south (Mali and Senegal). 2 CHAPTER Mauritania The Unstable Bridge Between North and Sub-Saharan Africa? Issaka K. Souaré Mauritania:TheUnstableBridgeBetweenNorthandSub-SaharanAfrica? 17 The mixed composition of the Mauritanian society and the tensions that sometimes arise between its different elements has had serious implications for both the national and foreign policies of the country; making it an unstable ‘bridge-country’ between North and SubSaharan Africa.4 Mauritania is therefore a worthy case study through which a useful appraisal can be made of the role of a ‘frontier state’ in contributing to efforts of bridging the divide between the two sides of the Sahara. This chapter is divided into five sections. The first provides a brief theoretical overview of the interchangeable concepts of ‘borderline’, ‘frontier’ or ‘bridge states’. The second looks at Mauritania in light of its geographic location and demographic composition. To go beyond a descriptive narrative of this issue, this section delves into its impact on some of the country ’s internal and external policies. For example, one of the effects of its geographic location and demographic composition have been chronic instability in the country. Thus, the third section focuses on this instability, its characteristics and ramifications. Stemming from this, the fourth section deals with attempts at democratic transformation in the country and the impact of political instability, particularly military coups. The final and concluding section looks at some future prospects of the country. Frontier states: A brief theoretical overview The concept of ‘frontier state’ and other similar notions have generally been the domain of ethnographers and anthropologists. In their studies...

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