The Minister of Economy Reviews with Technical and Financial Partners the Mauritanian Emergency Plan to Alleviate the Suffering of Refugees
Nouakchott
On Thursday 11 January, in Nouakchott, the Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, Mr. Abdel Salam Mohamed Saleh, held a working session with technical and financial partners, to review and discuss the multidimensional emergency plan prepared by Mauritania to alleviate the suffering of refugees.
The plan aims to enable new arrivals to enjoy protection and ensure access to assistance for the most vulnerable groups, taking into account the needs of host communities in order to enhance social cohesion and peaceful coexistence.
During the meeting, a short film was shown about the situation of refugees in Al-Hawd Al-Sharqi, in addition to a presentation about the current situation and the emergency plan.
In his speech on the occasion, the Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development said that this plan takes into account various stakeholders, and also gives priority to an approach that involves refugees from outside the Ambra camp, which will contribute to facilitating the integration of new refugees into host communities, and reducing their dependence on humanitarian aid. And enhancing social cohesion through activities that will benefit everyone.
He stressed that work of this magnitude will be implemented in a short period of time, not exceeding three to six months, and requires concerted efforts to provide financial resources of no less than 12.3 million US dollars to cover the needs of social protection, food security, health, education, and potable water, in addition to technical support that accompanies the various stages of implementation. This plan.
The Minister also pointed out that the years from 2019 to 2023 witnessed a doubling of the number of refugees and asylum seekers registered in the state of Hodh al-Sharqi (from 57,000 to 112,000 in October 2023), due to political instability and increasing security risks in the Sahel region, which hosts…
Mauritania currently has more than 120,000 refugees, and the year 2023 alone witnessed the entry of about 15,000 people into Hodh al-Sharqi state, of which women and girls constitute 58% and children 65%.
He stated that this situation constituted a challenge to the state in the areas of humanitarian and development response, and in view of the increasing pressure on the already limited basic services at the level of the region that receives the largest number of refugees, which is the state of Hodh al-Sharqi, indicating that in response to this situation the government decided as a matter of urgency and with the support of Its development partners prepare an emergency plan to address this crisis in line with Mauritania’s efforts to strengthen the resilience of refugees and integrate them into active life.
The Minister addressed an appeal to the international community to strengthen international solidarity and cooperation so that refugees continue to enjoy protection and so that the new incoming numbers do not cause a decline in the gains achieved in the field of sustainable development and social cohesion.
In turn, the representative of the World Food Programme, Acting Representative of the United Nations, Her Excellency Ms. Kindia Samia, said that humanitarian crises equally affect all members of society, including women and children, who constitute the majority of new arrivals, and who often face vulnerabilities, noting that the action plan is based on A gender-inclusive approach.
She added that the program is committed to ensuring that its interventions take into account the specific needs of each individual, with a particular focus on the protection of women and children, as well as the empowerment of women within communities.