Government spokesman: The state will honor anyone who exposes a violation or corruption with solid evidence.

The Minister of Culture, Arts, Communication, and Relations with Parliament, the government spokesperson, Mr. El-Hussein Ould Medou, affirmed that the government will encourage and honor anyone who exposes violations or corruption, and will punish those found to be in violation, noting that it is essential to differentiate between exposing violations and tarnishing the country’s reputation.

He said during his comment on the results of the cabinet meeting, this Tuesday evening in Nouakchott, alongside the ministers of health, energy and oil, fisheries, and maritime and port infrastructure, that the country is experiencing the highest levels of freedom of expression, and all the measures taken, including those in the digital realm, aim to encourage freedom of expression and report violations.

In response to a question about the arrest of the blogger in Nouadhibou, he confirmed that the information published by the said blogger is false. The coast guard has filed a complaint against him, emphasizing that the blogger will be honored if it is proven that he has evidence, and if the opposite is proven, he must take responsibility.

The government spokesperson emphasized that the government encourages all bloggers and journalists to reveal violations, but on the condition of having evidence, as “news is sacred and opinion is free”.

Regarding the tourist season, the Minister explained that the season started in Atar and continued with the launch of coastal tourism in Nouakchott in recent days, and it will continue with the launch of the Autumn Festival from Aoin on August 15 and the River Festival from Kiffa on the 17th of this month. He added that the Ministry of Culture has also launched a national week for culture and arts in both Nouakchott and Nouadhibou, and will support more than 40 cultural festivals.

In turn, His Excellency the Minister of Health, Mr. Abdallah Ould Wedih, affirmed in his remarks on the amended law concerning pharmacy, that this law includes the amendment of 40 articles from the previous laws to reform the pharmacy sector, such as starting to review the legal framework of the pharmacy sector including the obligations law.

He stated that among the amendments made in the new law is the increase in the powers of the national laboratory for drug quality control, enabling it to effectively supervise medicines and ensure the quality of those presented for tenders. The new text also includes stricter penalties (imprisonment and fines) and introduces penalties for not adhering to the quality and safety standards of medical supplies and practicing pharmacy without a license.

The Minister of Health added that among the amended materials is the simplification of inspection procedures, the introduction of administrative penalties resulting from them, ensuring coordination between the bodies responsible for drug control, inspection, and quality, and the establishment of two electronic platforms, one for drug registration and the other for tracking drugs through serial numbering, in addition to setting a framework to regulate local drug manufacturing, and defining the conditions for manufacturing, importing, and storing drugs.

The minister pointed out that the draft law comes within the framework of a roadmap for drug reform, in line with what His Excellency the President of the Republic is dedicating to the reform of the health sector, especially pharmacy, which was announced in his electoral program (My Ambition for the Nation).

And he reminded of the most important achievements in the roadmap for pharmaceutical reform that was previously approved by the Council of Ministers, such as the establishment of a national laboratory for pharmaceuticals (currently operational while awaiting the completion of work at its new headquarters within a year), ensuring a safe path for the transportation and storage of medicines, restricting the entry of medicines to Nouakchott International Airport or Tunisian airport, and the Nouakchott Independent Port known as ‘Friendship Port’, raising the threshold for the intervention of the Central Purchasing Center for medicines and medical supplies, in addition to enhancing oversight tools, and reconstituting the National Medicines Committee.

On his part, the Minister of Energy and Oil, Mr. Mohamed Khalid, during his comments on the statement regarding the approval of partnership contracts between the public and private sectors to build and operate a solar or wind power station with a capacity of 60 megawatts, stated that the ministry conducted a technical consultation, and after presenting the technical and financial proposals from the companies, the committee chose Iwa Africa (iwafrica) which demonstrated its eligibility.

He stated that the project comes to address the shortage in electric power production in the country, with the financial cost of the station amounting to 287 million dollars, while the duration of the operating contract will be 15 years. He confirmed that the companies would establish two power stations, one in Nouakchott for photovoltaic energy with a capacity of 160 megawatts, while the second station will be for wind energy in Boulenouar with a capacity of 60 megawatts, in addition to a battery storage system.

The Minister pointed out that the approval for the establishment of this station comes within the framework of the statement regarding the observed deficiency in the local energy sector, which the ministry had previously presented to the Council of Ministers last year, and which recommended the necessity of establishing new institutions.

For his part, the Minister of Fisheries, Maritime Infrastructure, and Ports, Mr. Al-Fadhil Ould Sidati Ould Ahmed Louly, stated that the statement reviewing the implementation of the integrated and sustainable development strategy for marine fisheries 2020-2024 served as a reference framework for the fishing sector during the past period, allowing for an evaluation of the strategy.

He confirmed that the strategy allowed for achieving many important gains, such as improving the financial performance of the caught quantities, which reached one and a half million during the year 2024. Furthermore, exports exceeded one million tons, alongside enhancing sustainable and rational management, which facilitated better efforts in fishing.

He added that among the results achieved by the strategy in the social dimension are the employment of national labor, contributing to food security by increasing the quantities distributed for free to citizens (which reached 55 tons), in addition to establishing a strategic stock, developing water and marine infrastructure, as well as improvements in governance.