Mauritania and the World Bank are exploring additional funding to support digital infrastructure and artificial intelligence applications.
Ahmed Salem
Mauritania’s Ministry of Digital Transformation and Administrative Modernization announced that it has reached a preliminary agreement with the World Bank to mobilize additional financial resources aimed at supporting data infrastructure and promoting the use of artificial intelligence in the country.
This came after a working session held by the Minister of Digital Transformation, Ahmed Salem Ould Bedde, with a delegation from the World Bank headed by Michel Ruggie, the Regional Director in charge of Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence for Africa, the Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The ministry said the anticipated funding comes within the framework of the West Africa Regional Digital Integration Project (WARDEP), which aims to develop data infrastructure and sharing mechanisms, expand the scope of artificial intelligence applications, and develop digital skills related to these technologies.
She added that the planned support also includes the development of smart systems based on automation and machine learning, which will contribute to enhancing the efficiency of management and digital services and supporting digital transformation efforts in Mauritania.
During the meeting, the two sides also discussed prospects for joint cooperation in the fields of digitization and artificial intelligence, and ways to accelerate the implementation of priority digital projects.
The World Bank delegation included a number of officials and experts specializing in digitalization and artificial intelligence, including Yana Konnikova, Sector Director for Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence for West and Central Africa, and Eric Dunade, Principal Digitalization Specialist.
