Prime Minister Oversees Orientation Ceremony for Public Procurement Officials

The Prime Minister, Mr. Mohamed Ould Bilal, supervised, Monday, at the Conference Palace in Nouakchott, the orientation ceremony for the heads of the public procurement commissions.

In a speech made on the occasion, the Minister of Economic Affairs and Promotion of Productive Sectors, Mr. Ousmane Mamoudou Kane, said that public procurement represents a large share of GDP. Therefore, they participate to a large extent in economic growth and development, so that they could constitute an effective lever of vocational training, in addition to the contribution to the creation of enterprises and the promotion of the private sector.

The minister added that the identification of the public procurement officials, the attribution of prerogatives, their submission to specific commitments and the creation of a judicious system of evaluation of their performance are, among others, the main measures taken for an optimal rationalization of the system of functioning of the public procurement.
He added that public procurement officials should serve as specialist advisers to their respective departments regarding public procurement and the quality of files.
These officials, and their respective departments, are also required to establish the public procurement process, with respect to the agreed deadlines, as he put it.

Mr. Ousmane Mamoudou Kane indicated that, for the first time, given the importance and sensitivity of their profession, public procurement officials will be sworn in before the Court of Appeal, thus creating ethical obligations before the community.
He stressed that the President of the Republic, His Excellency Mr. Mohamed Ould Cheikh El-Ghazouani and of the government give great importance to transparency, warning public procurement officials against any kind of negligence.

For his part, the Minister of Finance, Mr. Mohamed Lemine Ould Dhehbi, affirmed that this ceremony announces the launch of the public procurement system.

The minister urged those officials to be strict and transparent, to speed up the pace of work, and to comply with regulations and laws in the contracting process, which is the cornerstone of public demand as public demand is an essential element for the implementation of the Taahoudati (My Pledges) program of the President of the Republic, His Excellency Mr. Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani.

The ceremony was attended by several members of the government, the wali of West Nouakchott, and the chairperson of the Nouakchott region.