UNITED Nations Economic Commission for African
( ECA ) Executive Secretary Vera Songwe has
congratulated Mauritania for ratifying the African
Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).
She spoke yesterday during an audience with the
President of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania
Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz in Nouakchott.
“Mauritania is one of the first countries to sign
the AfCFTA documents. This shows that its
President and government are convinced of the
importance of regional integration,†Songwe said.
Discussions with Aziz included strategic choices
for ECA’s work in Mauritania and its cooperation
with the country as part of its role in supporting
Africa’s growth.
During her visit, the ECA Executive Secretary met
several ministers, including the Prime Minister
Mohamed Salem Ould El Bechir, the Minister of
Foreign Affairs Ismaël Ould Cheikh Ahmed, the
Minister of Economy and Finance Moctar Ould
Diay and the Minister of Trade, Industry and
Tourism Khadijetou Mbareck Fall.
Topics discussed included the use of innovative
financing investment mechanisms to strengthen
key sectors like energy or mines; the use of ICTs
to streamline administrative processes to improve
the national Doing Business ranking, and
improved public finances and debt analysis to
consolidate the country’s macro-economic and
fiscal policies.
Other topics included employment, economic
diversification, the building of a national, digital ID
system for a better social inclusion and
distribution of growth benefits in accordance with
the Sustainable Development Goals and the
implementation of the African Women Leadership
Fund initiated by ECA in 2018 in favor of
Mauritanian women.
These cooperation opportunities come in addition
to ongoing ECA projects in Mauritania, which
include the rebasing of the GDP in accordance
with SCN 2008, support for the drafting of the
first National Voluntary Review, and an upcoming
competitiveness study to be carried out as part of
ECA’s support for the implementation of the
AfCFTA.
Songwe also met the UN country team and
discussed options for an improved coordination of
UN projects in Mauritania.
source: thenationonlineng.net/eca-chief-hails-mauritania-ratifying-afcfta/
