Economy Minister Holds Talks with IFAD President
The Minister of Economic Affairs and Development, Mr. Abdallahi Ould Souleymane Ould Cheikh Sidya, today, Tuesday, held a high-level bilateral meeting in the Italian capital, Rome, with the President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Mr. Alvaro Lario, who was accompanied by several of his aides. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 49th session of the IFAD Governing Council.
The meeting reviewed bilateral cooperation relations in their various aspects, particularly the portfolio of development projects financed by the Fund in Mauritania, and ways to accelerate their implementation to ensure maximum benefit for rural communities.
During the meeting, the Minister praised the level of technical and financial support provided by the Fund to Mauritania. He affirmed that the vision of His Excellency the President of the Republic, Mr. Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, to empower youth—and the decision to dedicate the current presidential term to them—closely aligns with the theme of the current session, which focuses on young entrepreneurs and agriculture as a fundamental pillar of food security. He noted that this vision has been reflected in the work of the Government under His Excellency the Prime Minister, Mr. Mokhtar Ould Diay, through the implementation of structural projects in the agricultural sector, which have resulted in a significant increase in national agricultural production.
For his part, the President of the Fund, Mr. Alvaro Lario, commended the partnership with Mauritania. He noted that through the “Consultation on the Fourteenth Replenishment of Resources,” the Fund looks forward to expanding the scope of its investments to support young small-scale producers’ access to markets and digital infrastructure.
At the conclusion of the meeting, both parties agreed to strengthen joint coordination to address the challenges of climate change in fragile areas and to develop innovative mechanisms for financing small and medium-sized projects in the agricultural sector, in a manner that ensures the creation of sustainable employment opportunities for Mauritanian youth.