President of the Republic oversees the Launch Ceremony of the Emergency Program to Generalize Access to Essential services for Local Development

His Excellency the President of the Republic, Mr. Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, today, Thursday, in the city of Néma, oversaw the official ceremony for the launch of the urgent program to expand access to essential services for local development. Eleven governorates benefiting from the program participated, via video conferencing simultaneously, in the ceremony overseen by His Excellency the President for its launch. This program—distinguished by its comprehensiveness both in terms of the diversity of its components and the targeted areas—aims to create an unprecedented economic and social transformation to address the structural problems that were hindering the country’s developmental progress, and to enhance the effectiveness of services provided to citizens across all regions of the nation. His Excellency the President followed a presentation on the program’s components, its areas of intervention, the targeted regions, the expected outcomes of its implementation, its contribution to addressing the deficiencies in service facilities, and the participatory methodology adopted to determine the developmental priorities to be carried out in each of the governorates benefiting from the program’s interventions.

The President of the Regional Council of the Eastern Hodh Region, Mr. Mohamoudou Ould Tijani, expressed in a speech on the occasion, on behalf of the residents of the region, his welcome to His Excellency the President of the Republic and the accompanying delegation, praising the achievements made by him for the country and his aspirations for success, development, and prosperity for the nation.He said that this visit demonstrates the attention that His Excellency the President of the Republic gives to being close to the citizens and understanding their reality, embodying all the meanings of communication and cohesion between the wise leadership and its loyal people.He also praised the Eastern Hodh region for the projects and programs it has received, which have raised the level of local economic and social development, thereby enhancing the sustainability of natural resources and consolidating means of dignified living.

He added that during the first term of His Excellency the President of the Republic and the first year of his current term, the region witnessed the implementation of a package of ambitious and vital projects and programs that significantly contributed to job opportunities, youth empowerment, local development, and food security.The Mayor of the Municipality of Néma, Mr. Sidi Mohamed Ould Mohamed, had previously praised in a speech this important visit during which His Excellency the President of the Republic launched the Emergency Local Development Program, which embodies his vision to achieve comprehensive development and improve the living conditions of citizens.On behalf of all the residents of Néma District, he expressed his welcome to His Excellency the President and the accompanying delegation, considering this visit a significant national event due to its noble meanings and great implications, and because it reflects the state’s care and attention to its citizens throughout the country.He praised the tangible achievements realized in the Hodh Ech Chargui region, which affected the daily lives of citizens through improved infrastructure and the implementation of developmental and social projects that directly benefited the population.He also appreciated the decision to open the Regional Institute of Indigenous Education in Néma District, which is considered a scientific gain and…

This development program, which will be implemented over 30 months with a budget exceeding 260 billion old ouguiyas, includes nine essential components identified according to their importance and the citizens’ needs: education, health, water, electricity, isolation relief, agriculture, animal development, youth empowerment, and resilience.This program will enable the enhancement of infrastructure in the specified components through construction, upgrading, and renovation across the municipalities of the eleven targeted regions, making it one of the most comprehensive development projects implemented in the country and closely aligned with the needs of ordinary citizens.

Within the framework of this program, educational infrastructure will be expanded through the construction of 6,114 classrooms and the rehabilitation of 525 classrooms. Health coverage will be strengthened and made more accessible to citizens through the construction of two hospital centers, six district hospitals, 32 health centers, 204 health posts, the upgrading of 16 posts into health centers, the rehabilitation of 30 health centers and 54 health posts, and the acquisition of 126 new ambulances.This program will also provide drinking water to ensure decent living conditions for the population through the drilling of 917 artesian wells, the equipment of 101 additional wells, the construction of 101 water supply networks, the expansion of water networks, the implementation of a project to supply drinking water to 222 towns, and the increase of drinking water production from the groundwater lake from 12,000 to 17,000 m³/day. It will further enhance access to drinking water in urban centers, equip and construct 81 water towers, and acquire 14 water tankers.

This program will work on developing opportunities for access to electricity for major urban centers by increasing electricity production in 29 urban centers, electrifying 179 rural towns, extending 58 electricity networks, accelerating the removal of isolation from urban areas and production zones, supporting productive activities, and benefiting from the country’s relative advantages in sectors such as livestock and agriculture, in order to enhance regional economic potential. Within the framework of the urgent program to generalize access to essential services for local development, 43 dams will be built or rehabilitated, barriers and small dams will be reinforced, 875 km of fencing will be distributed, 101 areas will be reclaimed for vegetable cultivation, 39 pastoral wells and 183 insemination pens will be established, 3 new slaughterhouses will be constructed, 2 milk collection units will be set up, a veterinary health center will be established, a breeding improvement farm will be created, and a veterinary pharmacy will be opened.To support efforts to empower youth and integrate them to combat unemployment and rural migration and to strengthen youth associations, the program will provide 14,148 grants to youth associations, 656 loans for projects implemented by young people, prepare a project incubator, fund 10 startups, and finance 2,328 small and medium-sized enterprises.