French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius arrives in the Mauritanian capital Nouakchott on Monday for a two-day working visit, during which he is to attend a Europe-Maghreb Africa dialogue, a diplomatic source told Xinhua on Tuesday.

The dialogue of the so-called "5+5" Group involves five European countries including Spain, France, Italy, Malta and Portugal and five Maghreb countries of Algeria, Tunisia, Mauritania, Morocco and Libya.

During his visit, the French top diplomat will hold talks with Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz on bilateral issues.

The meeting will mainly discuss the security situation in the Sahel region, the crisis in Mali and the development agreements between France and Mauritania, the diplomatic source said, declining to be identified.

France is one of Mauritania's main development partners. It funds a number of economic and social projects in the country through the French Development Agency. Endi