Ladies and Gentlemen,

Today the government of Mauritania embarks on a vast new program as part of its ongoing efforts to eliminate the obstacles to the further development and the prosperity of the Mauritanian people.  The Good Governance Program, conceived of by the new government, is a non-partisan campaign designed to counter corruption and instill a sense of national cohesion.  The United States government is honored to be associated with this effort.

 Much to its credit, the government of Mauritania has initiated many programs to address the issues of corruption and national disunity which it inherited from previous regimes.  Mauritania’s elected leaders have proven that they take these problems seriously and are willing to take the necessary steps to eliminate them.  The strides that the government has made in these endeavors have won the well-deserved applause of the international community.  Mauritania’s efforts in creating genuine democratic institutions and bringing greater transparency to the business of government have not gone unnoticed. 

In the future, when Mauritania’s efforts are reaping rich dividends, other countries, struggling with similar problems will be able to learn from Mauritania’s example.  They will see that the success of any democracy is based on the citizen’s knowledge of their rights and, perhaps more importantly, of their duties as citizens.  They will understand that in a genuine democracy, the actions of the government are transparent and intelligible to its own people as well as to the international community.  They will know that one of the essential duties of the citizen is active participation in the political process of the country. 

The work toward building a transparent and vibrant democracy in Mauritania is continues.  The successful elections of last year, the creation of governmental institutions such as the IGE, the respect that the dominant political parties show for the democratic process all bear witness to the steps Mauritania has taken to create a strong democracy.

The work, however, is not finished and the government of Mauritania is the first to recognize this.  That is why it has launched this new Good Governance Program to educate citizens on their rights and duties, to enhance a feeling a national unity, to sensitize the people to the evils corruption.  The government of the United States is privileged to have contributed to this program and pledges its assistance and cooperation throughout the Good Governance campaign.

Ambassador Mark M. Boulware,
Ambassador of United States of America in Mauritania

Nouakchott, March 15, 2008