Spain and Mauritania strengthen bilateral economic, cultural, and health cooperation

Eduardo González The governments of Spain and Mauritania strengthened their economic and cultural cooperation this week during the official visit of Mauritanian Foreign Minister Mohamed Salem Ould Merzoug. Additionally, the Spanish Ambassador to Mauritania, Pablo Barbará Gómez, announced in Nouakchott a contribution of 60 million euros to support the African country's healthcare system. Mohamed Salem Ould Merzoug's visit to Madrid (his first since taking office) included a meeting with Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares, with whom he discussed cooperation on migration, agriculture, and fisheries, as well as other areas of interest such as energy, development cooperation, security, and the promotion of the Spanish language, among other topics. The Mauritanian minister also participated, along with the Secretary of State for Trade, Amparo López Senovilla, in a business meeting held at the Spanish Chamber of Commerce, where he highlighted his country's geostrategic position and his government's efforts to provide tools that facilitate private sector participation. "Mauritania is the gateway to Africa, just as Spain is said to be the gateway to Europe," he stated. On Tuesday, Mohamed Salem Merzoug visited the headquarters of the Cervantes Institute in Madrid, where he met with its Director General, Luis García Montero, to explore avenues of cooperation between Mauritania and this cultural institution. "Inspired by the Institute's enduring cultural and human values, I expressed our hope that it will contribute even more to fostering friendship between nations and promoting dialogue between cultures," the Mauritanian minister wrote on social media. Furthermore, the Spanish ambassador to Mauritania, Pablo Barbará Gómez, announced this week a cooperation plan between the two countries for the period 2024-2027, worth 60 million euros, aimed at supporting vital sectors, with a focus on strengthening a comprehensive and equitable healthcare system in the country. The announcement was made during the opening of the Maghreb Scientific Congress on Prehospital Emergency and Urgent Care Medicine in Nouakchott, organized by the Foundation for Emergency Medical Aid in collaboration with the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), under the slogan "Together to Reduce Mortality." The ambassador affirmed that Mauritania has been a priority country in Spanish cooperation programs for over three decades and reported that the Agency will support the national health policy until 2030 through hospital reforms, training for doctors in the specialties of emergency medicine, anesthesiology, resuscitation, and surgery, as well as providing €880,000 in funding to equip hospitals and improve emergency services, according to the Saharamedias.net website. This aid is part of the Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for the period 2024-2027, signed on February 8, 2024, during a visit by the Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, to Nouakchott. The plan includes an allocation of €60 million in Official Development Assistance for policies promoting gender equality, rural development, food security, and contributing to the strengthening and universal coverage of an equitable public health system. Mauritania has been considered a priority country for Spanish Cooperation since 1995, and is included in the current Master Plan for Spanish Cooperation 2024-2027, within the North Africa and Near East region.

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