His Excellency Mr. Mohamed Maâ El-Ainine Ould Ayih, Minister of Vocational Training, Handicrafts, and Acting Government Spokesperson, emphasized that vocational training instructors form a cornerstone of an ambitious strategy currently being implemented by the ministry to develop the sector.
Responding to a question on improving the conditions of teachers in vocational training during a briefing on the outcomes of the Council of Ministers meeting on Wednesday evening at the Mauritanian News Agency headquarters in Nouakchott, alongside His Excellency Mr. Mohamed Ould Khaled, Minister of Energy and Oil, he confirmed that instructors in the sector will receive benefits equal to or exceeding those granted to their counterparts in the national education sector, while taking into account the unique characteristics of the vocational training domain.
Meanwhile, Minister of Energy and Oil, Mr. Mohamed Ould Khaled, commented on the draft law concerning the ratification of a financing agreement between Mauritania and the European Investment Bank to fund the Regional Electricity Transmission Corridor Project in Mauritania. He stated that the project financing amounts to €90 million (approximately 42 billion old Ouguiya), complemented by a European grant exceeding €33 million to support the construction of a high-voltage electricity line between Nouakchott and Néma.
He added that the total cost of this large-scale project is estimated at €816 million, funded by multiple donors: the African Development Bank contributing €247 million, the French Development Agency €64 million, and the World Bank €113 million. A portion of these funds will be allocated for the construction of an electricity line between Nouakchott and Aleg, as well as a power station in the region, underlining the project’s significance for the national economy.
Regarding two draft laws pertaining to agreements between Mauritania and the Islamic Development Bank, the minister noted that the first loan amounts to €18 million and the second to €180,000, both designated for the expansion of the National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases. The agreements include two main components: infrastructure development through the construction of a three-story building, and the acquisition of medical and technological equipment, aimed at reducing mortality rates and minimizing patient referrals abroad. The funding will increase the center’s bed capacity from 126 to 206.
On the draft decree concerning mining companies operating in the electricity sector, the minister explained that the state has adopted a strategy aligned with the economic goals of President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El-Ghazouani’s program, focusing on renewable energy. A specialized committee has mandated that mining companies use at least 5% renewable energy in their operations by 2030.
The committee will monitor compliance through annual evaluations, and if companies fail to meet their obligations, they will be required to make investments to support electricity provision in rural areas.
