President of the Republic oversees the Launch of the Second Edition of the Private Sector Exhibition “Expo Mauritania 2025”

His Excellency the President of the Republic, Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, supervised, on Thursday evening, at the Olympic Stadium in Nouakchott, the launch of the second edition of the private sector exhibition “Expo Mauritania 2025”, under the slogan: “The private sector is the engine of economic growth and the provider of job opportunities”.

His Excellency the President of the Republic cut the symbolic ribbon marking the opening of the exhibition, which will last for three days, before His Excellency inspected the pavilions of the exhibition and listened to explanations from those in charge of it about the nature of the work of each pavilion and its contributions in its field of specialization.

This exhibition, which provides a platform to showcase the innovation and development achieved by national products, is a strategic window to enhance cooperation and trade partnerships and promote national products and services, reflecting the dynamism of the national economy and the commitment of actors to support the slogan: “Made in Mauritania”.

Organized by the National Union of Mauritanian Employers (UNMA) and aimed at highlighting the role of the private sector in the country’s economic development, 11 groups, 75 enterprises and 250 factories representing the country’s various productive and service sectors are participating in the exhibition, organized by the National Union of Mauritanian Employers.

The Minister of Industry and Minerals, Mr. Thiam Tidjane, said in a speech on the occasion that the supervision of His Excellency the President of the Republic, Mr. Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, on the launch of the second exhibition of the national private sector clearly reflects the appreciated care given by His Excellency the President of the Republic to the national private sector and his constant support for everything that would enhance its position and strengthen its role in economic development.

The country’s social and social sectors, which was represented through his high directives to the various government sectors to work on consulting with the private sector and involving it in everything that concerns development.

He pointed out that recent years have become a witness to the qualitative shift in the administration’s approach, as the stage was characterized by a balance between strengthening national sovereignty and positive engagement in the regional and international environment, through a process that relied on deepening dialogue between the components of society, consolidating a culture of participation, and building institutions that promote the values of integrity and efficiency, as a basis for development, consolidate social justice and seek to empower the most needy groups.

He added that these measures include creating real job opportunities for young people to be partners in shaping their future, and giving special attention to environmental and sustainability issues based on a firm belief that protecting resources is not just an option, but a responsibility towards future generations.

He said that His Excellency the President of the Republic stressed in his electoral program that only industry can raise the level of quality of the economy’s performance, reduce unemployment and improve labor productivity, highlighting that among those programs ordered by the government to be implemented, focus on the establishment of industries that replace imports, especially those that do not require complex technology or large capital, and the establishment of industrial zones equipped with all services in the country.

He pointed out that based on these high directives, the government’s program presented by the Prime Minister, Mr. Mokhtar Ould Diay, before the Parliament came to embody this program through the five axes of building a state of law and strong institutions with good modern governance, creating a strong performing and environmentally sustainable economy, developing the formed and qualified human capital, especially among the youth, in addition to providing conditions for strong national unity and integrated social integration, ensuring security and stability for the country and enhancing its presence and role at the regional and international levels.

He explained that based on those axes included in the government’s policy speech, and in implementation of the mandate letter, the sector worked on preparing an action plan that would ensure the implementation of programs and directives within the required deadlines, noting that in this context, the sector is working to implement the National Industrialization Strategy by 2030, which consists of basic axes that focus on valuing the increase in the added value of the exploitation of natural resources and correcting the trade balance through the localization of various manufacturing industries that provide alternatives to some imported goods. Through the valorization of industrial capabilities such as animal development, fishing, agriculture and pastoral resources, the development of metals, hydrocarbons and renewable energies, the promotion of pharmaceutical and medical industries, the development of the digital economy and technological innovation.

He explained that based on those axes included in the government’s policy speech, and in implementation of the mandate letter, the sector worked on preparing an action plan that would ensure the implementation of programs and directives within the required deadlines, noting that in this context, the sector is working to implement the National Industrialization Strategy by 2030, which consists of basic axes that focus on valuing the increase in the added value of the exploitation of natural resources and correcting the trade balance through the localization of various manufacturing industries that provide alternatives to some imported goods. Through the valorization of industrial capabilities such as animal development, fishing, agriculture and pastoral resources, the development of metals, hydrocarbons and renewable energies, the promotion of pharmaceutical and medical industries, the development of the digital economy and technological innovation.

He pointed out that the sector has developed a roadmap to accompany small and medium enterprises to provide support and improve competitiveness, adding that work is underway to prepare a program to rehabilitate and restore enterprises.

He pointed out that the attention given by His Excellency the President of the Republic to the development of the national private sector and his keenness to consult with it and involve it in national economic policies, in addition to the establishment and chairmanship of His Excellency the Supreme Council for Investment, and the issuance of a new investment code, measures that will contribute to the development of industry, which provided the appropriate conditions to move forward in the implementation of the national strategy for industry, and the strategies and programs implemented by the government from the expansion of water infrastructure, comprehensive development of the energy sector and the development of large projects in the field of renewable energies and leap. Quality in the field of roads and infrastructure.

He said that the exhibition, which is supervised by His Excellency the President of the Republic on its second edition, is an annual date that the Employers’ Union has been organizing for two years to introduce national production, and comes in line with the instructions of His Excellency the President of the Republic to the government to work on the development of industry, especially manufacturing industries in areas in which our country enjoys competitive privileges such as livestock, fishing, agriculture and renewable energies.

In a speech earlier, the President of the National Union of Mauritanian Employers, Mohamed Zeine El Abidine Ould Cheikh Ahmed, expressed his happiness at the presence of His Excellency the President of the Republic at the launch of the second exhibition of the national private sector (Expo Mauritania 2025).

He stressed that the honor of His Excellency the President of the Republic with his presence and supervision of the launch of the exhibition is a clear embodiment of the appreciated care he gives to the national private sector and its constant support for everything that would contribute to strengthening its position and activating and strengthening its role in the economic and social development of the country, praising this support, which confirms the great confidence in the capabilities of Mauritanians to achieve success and invest in our common future and the prosperity of our dear country.

He said that the exhibition constitutes a qualitative platform through which national gains are reflected and seeks to highlight part of the role played by the private sector in the field of development, especially in the introduction and development of industry in our country, to meet the needs of our local market, support our economy, provide added value, and create employment opportunities, appreciating the efforts of businessmen and keeping pace with public authorities.

He explained that as an embodiment of the centrality of His Excellency the President of the Republic’s interest in manufacturing industries and their essential role in development and the valorization of the primary resources of our country, and in application of the motivation of His Excellency the President of the Republic for the private sector to pay more attention to manufacturing industries, work has begun on launching the structural project related to the first and largest iron processing plant in neighboring countries funded by national investors and with a financial amount of sixty billion old ounces, which constitutes a response from the private sector to the directives of His Excellency the President of the Republic in Launch manufacturing industries in our country.

He said that the launch of this major project will be laid at the end of next June, to be inaugurated on the occasion of Independence Day in 2026, and the construction of this plant will be accompanied by a qualitative shift in the production of iron ore at the National Company for Industry and Mines, where its production is expected to witness a significant expansion to move from 14 million tons currently to 45 million tons by 2031.

He pointed out that in fulfillment of the pledge of His Excellency the President of the Republic related to the interest in employment, training and empowerment of Mauritanian youth and aware of the social and economic roles played by the private sector as the first operator and engine of development, a training and employment program has been launched in partnership with the sectors in charge of youth empowerment and vocational training, benefiting 1,500 Mauritanian youth in the most important sectors of the national economy.

The second edition of the Mauritanian Private Sector Exhibition was launched in the presence of His Excellency the Prime Minister, Mokhtar Ould Ajay, the Minister Secretary–General of the Presidency of the Republic, the Minister in charge of the Office of the President of the Republic, the two Ministers Advisors to the Presidency of the Republic, members of the government, the Governor of Nouakchott West, the Mayor of the municipality of Tafragh Zeina, the chiefs of staff of the armed and security forces, the diplomatic corps accredited in Mauritania, and many national figures and businessmen.