CHRHARCS: Our Country’s Benefit From the Advantages of the “Agoa” law is a Recognition of the Effectiveness of its Efforts to Promote and Protect Rights and Freedoms

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Humanitarian Action and Relations with Civil Society explained that the efforts made by the Mauritanian government over the past four years in the field of promotion and protection of human rights have made it possible to re-evaluate indicators mainly related to the fight against trafficking in persons, which resulted in a positive assessment of our country, and thus lift the suspension of its use of US preferential trade benefits, under the African Economic Growth and Opportunity Act, known as AGOA.

In a press briefing issued on Thursday evening, a copy of which was received by the Mauritanian News Agency, the Commission stressed that lifting our country’s suspension from benefiting from the preferential trade benefits of the African Economic Growth and Opportunity Act is an international recognition of the effectiveness of the tremendous efforts made by the government to promote and protect rights and freedoms and preserve human dignity, in line with the vision of His Excellency the President of the Republic, Mr. Mohamed Ould Cheikh Ghazouani, contained in his “My Commitments” program.

The following is the text of the press briefing:

“In January, our country began to benefit from the US preferential trade benefits under the African Economic Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), after this benefit was suspended in late 2018, as a result of the country’s low human rights indicators.

With God’s help, and thanks to the efforts made by the Government over the past four years in the area of the promotion and protection of human rights, indicators related mainly to the fight against trafficking in persons have been re-evaluated, resulting in a positive assessment of our country, thus lifting the suspension of its access to the aforementioned benefits.

The final report of the assessment examined the overall progress made by our country in combating trafficking in persons, reviewing the measures taken to strengthen the prevention of the phenomenon, the available protection mechanisms, the effeciency and effectiveness of judicial follow-up, and efforts for international and local cooperation and coordination to eliminate human trafficking.

The report also stressed that the government has shown increased efforts overall, especially with regard to increasing investigations, prosecutions and convictions of criminals, under the Anti-Slavery Act, the establishment of a national mechanism for the referral and guidance of first-time victims of trafficking and the establishment of a dedicated fund for victim services.

He also particularly appreciated the government’s establishment of the National Authority to Combat Trafficking in Persons and Migrant Smuggling and its financing, as well as conducting major awareness campaigns on anti-trafficking and anti-slavery laws throughout the country.

The lifting of our country’s suspension from benefiting from the preferential trade benefits of the African Economic Growth and Opportunity Act is an international recognition of the effectiveness of the tremendous efforts made by the Government to promote and protect rights and freedoms and preserve human dignity, in line with the vision of His Excellency the President of the Republic, Mr. Mohamed Ould Cheikh Ghazouani, contained in his “My Pledges” program.

On this occasion, we at the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Humanitarian Action and Relations with Civil Society are pleased to extend our warmest congratulations and blessings to all governmental and non-governmental actors and the private sector, stressing our determination to move forward in preserving these gains and continuing to deal positively with the various international mechanisms for the protection of human rights.”