That view would seem to be supported by the Australian petroleum players Woodside, Hardman and Roc Oil who are pressing on with their offshore oil exploration activities and Toronto Stock Exchange-listed South African explorer Energem Resources moving into the Mauritanian shallows courtesy of a $3.2 million deal.

Press reports indicate both the African Union and the US have reversed their initial unfavourable views ont the coup.

One report quotes Nigeria’s foreign affairs minister Olu Adeniji who said the delegation of four AU ministers he led into Mauritania shortly after the coup came away with the view that the new regime was supported by the people.

He said the delegation had meetings with stakeholders ranging from the leader of the military council to labour unions and human rights groups.

“The amazing thing is that there was no single dissenting view,” the report quotes him as saying.

The African Union had initially condemned the coup and called for a return to “constitutional order”.

It is understood the US, which also is now working with the military junta to ensure multi-party elections are held as soon as possible.

Ironically, the deposed Mauritanian president Maaouya Ould Sid’Ahmed Taya, also came to power during a coup about 21 years ago. Taya was out of the country at the time, attending the funeral of Saudi King Fahd.

He was replaced by a military council reportedly led by Colonel Ely Ould Mohamed Vall.

On August 8, Roc Oil announced the 2005 Mauritanian offshore exploration drilling program had begun with drilling vessel Stena Tay working on the Sotto-1 exploration well, about 110 kilometres south west of the Mauritanian capital Nouakchott.

The well is also about 42km south of the Chinguetti Oil Field in about 320 metres of water.

Energem is understood to have concluded a production sharing contract for Block 18, which lies within the proven hydrocarbon basin adjacent to blocks 4 and 5 that host the Chinguetti field.