Mauritania and France sign 3 strategic agreements

Written by Ziad Abdel Fattah:

The Mauritanian government signed three cooperation and partnership agreements with France on Friday, in a move aimed at strengthening sustainable development efforts and addressing the repercussions of [the pandemic/crisis]. climate changeAnd support for the most needy groups, during an official ceremony hosted by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Development in Nouakchott.

The agreements were signed on the Mauritanian side by the Minister of Economic Affairs and Development, Dr. Abdallah Ould Souleimane Ould Cheikh Sidiya, and the Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, Messaouda Baham, in the presence of the Commissioner for Food Security, Fatma Mint Khatri. The French side was represented by Ambassador Emmanuel Besnier, along with the Director of the French Development Agency, Ignace Moncam d'Afra.

Strategic partnership between Mauritania and France

The Minister of Economic Affairs and Development affirmed that these agreements come within the framework of the distinguished strategic partnership between Mauritania and France, noting that they represent a direct result of the state visit made by President Mohamed Ould Cheikh Ghazouani to Paris last April, which contributed to strengthening bilateral relations and consolidating joint cooperation between the two countries.

The minister explained that the three agreements reflect the state’s orientation towards making the citizen the focus of public policies, through programs aimed at improving the quality of life and enhancing social protection.

3 main axes of the agreements

The agreements are distributed across three main axes, with the first axis focusing on supporting Mauritania’s efforts to adapt to climate change, through the preparation of a national strategy and strengthening commitment to the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals, especially Goal 13, while working to mobilize green financing in coordination with the relevant authorities.

The second agreement relates to the “Aman” project to bring justice closer, with funding of one million euros, and aims to facilitate citizens’ access to justice, with a special focus on empowering women in the Hodh Ech Chargui region with mechanisms for resolving disputes, in light of the challenges resulting from the influx of displaced persons.

The third agreement includes a grant of 7.2 million euros to support the national social protection strategy, which focuses on enhancing food security, improving health and education services, and expanding the social security umbrella, thereby contributing to increasing the ability of vulnerable groups to cope with crises, as it is expected that about 100,000 families will benefit from it.

For his part, the French ambassador to Nouakchott affirmed that these agreements reflect his country’s continued commitment to supporting Mauritania in facing climate, food and social challenges, noting that the three projects represent an integrated model for dealing with intertwined crises, and reflect the depth of relations between the two countries.

The signing ceremony was attended by a number of senior officials, including the Secretary General of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Yaqoub Ould Ahmed Aicha, along with representatives of the relevant government sectors and development partners.