International Environment Day Celebrations
Mauritania celebrated on Saturday in Nouakchott, like the international community, World Environment Day under the theme: “Restoration of ecosystems”. A theme that can be declined in several forms: planting trees, greening cities, redeveloping gardens, changing diets or cleaning up the coasts.
In her speech on this occasion, the Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, Ms. Mariem Bekay said that the choice of this year’s theme reflects the need to strengthen actions to slow the continued degradation of environments. natural resources that endanger the balance of ecosystems on which the economy, food security, health and livelihoods of populations depend.
She specified that the integration of actions to restore ecosystems and fight against pollution in the enlarged priority program of the President of the Republic has made it possible to reduce deforestation which destroys nearly 46,000 ha per year, to implement a 3000 ha annual reforestation program which will be supplemented by actions to give rural households access to butane gas.
Ms. Mariem Bekay affirmed that her department is working to strengthen the effectiveness of the National Agency of the Great Green Wall and the mobilization of additional external funding to increase interventions to restore degraded lands which represent more than 80% of Mauritanian territory. .
The minister also indicated that a study has been launched to identify a suitable site that can house a solid waste landfill in addition to the preparation of a law on waste management. She further noted that given the risks to human health, the use of cyanide by artisanal miners has been banned, stressing that her department is in the process of developing exploitation techniques without mercury.
Ms. Mariem Bekay assured that much remains to be done to promote sustainable agricultural and fishing practices, protect the coastline and put a definitive end to poaching and all activities that pollute, destroy ecosystems and hinder the sustainable development of the country.
“We need to build a new development trajectory that takes into account the capacity of our ecosystems to meet our essential present and future needs”, concluded the Minister.