Mauritania Participates in Two Extraordinary AU Summits on AfCFTA, ‘Silencing the Guns’
Mauritania has participated in the two extraordinary summits of the African Union (the thirteenth summit on the African free trade area (AfCFTA) and the fourteenth summit on Silencing the Guns in Africa that South Africa hosted on 5 and 6 December via virtual platforms.
His Excellency the President of the Republic, Mr. Mohamed Ould Cheikh El-Ghazouani, was represented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and Mauritanians Abroad, Mr. Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, who delivered a speech in which he welcomed the holding of this summit, particularly in these difficult circumstances marked by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Minister expressed his satisfaction with the progress made in the negotiations on the AfCFTA regulation, and said he was convinced that it represents a major step forward for our African continent in view of its positive results for our economies, and hence for the development of Africa.
He reaffirmed Mauritania’s support for the Johannesburg Declaration and renewed the appeal of His Excellency the President of the Republic for a total cancellation of Africa’s debt. Regarding the ‘Silencing the Guns’ summit, Mauritania stressed that it was necessary because it comes at an important and sensitive moment when the continent will witness the start of its trade within the framework of the continental free trade area. Preparing for such a prospect requires the silence of arms following the resolution of conflicts that have for decades exhausted the continent.
He explained that Mauritania is committed, with its brothers in the G-5 Sahel countries, to move forward in the achievement of peace in the Sahel region and to extinguish the fire of war, with an approach that adopts the economic and social development as a basis for resolving crises.
Our country, he said, also supports the efforts of the African Union in this context and the extension of the period intended to silence the guns.
In addition to the Minister, Ambassador Khadijettou Mint M’bareck Fall, Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania to the African Union, attended the meeting.