Minister of Agriculture Discusses Ways to Strengthen Cooperation With Chinese Vice Minister of Agriculture

On 27 May, in Nouakchott, the Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Momme Ould Beibatta, had a working meeting with Mr. Ma You Xiang, the Chinese Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, who is currently visiting our country at the head of a delegation from his sector. During the meeting, the Minister of Agriculture reviewed the close and diversified cooperation between Mauritania and China, recalling that Mauritania’s self-sufficiency in the field of rice is the fruit of the partnership between the two countries since the years of independence.

He indicated that the Mauritanian agricultural sector is the subject of particular attention from Mr. Mohamed Ould Cheikh El-Ghazouani, the President of the Republic, who instructed the government to launch and implement concrete strategies to achieve self-sufficiency in basic foodstuffs as soon as possible, taking into account the availability of all elements, particularly water and fertile agricultural land.

He added that he expects significant support from the Chinese side to realize the vision of the President of the Republic based on the recommendations of his recent visit to China. 

He noted, in this regard, that the Mauritanian agricultural sector had a pressing need to develop research, training, and the exchange of expertise to manage water resources, create workshops for the maintenance and construction of irrigation canals, agricultural equipment as part of agricultural mechanization,  and establish infrastructure in the field of conservation of agricultural products, particularly vegetables.

 For his part, the Chinese official stressed that his current visit was part of the implementation of the recommendations of the visit of His Excellency Mr. Mohamed Ould Cheikh El-Ghazouani, the President of the Republic, to China in the field of agricultural development. He reaffirmed China’s availability to support Mauritania’s efforts to ensure greater economic and social success and food self-sufficiency.