Press Release

U.S. Funds Democracy Efforts

Mr. Steven Koutsis, Chargé d’Affaires of the United States Embassy in Mauritania, presided this morning at a ceremony to award grants to three Mauritanian NGOs. The grants totaling $75,000, given under the Democracy and Human Rights Fund program, will finance three civil and voter education projects to support democratization in the country.

The selection of the three groups was made in cooperation with the United Nations Development Program, which has partnered with the Embassy in coordinating electoral assistance between various national and international parties.

The non-governmental organizations receiving the grants are:

- The League of Expert Defenders of the Rights of Children and Adolescents (LEXEDEF)
 
- Development Assistance to Rural Communities (ADICOR)

- The Association for the Fight Against Poverty and Underdevelopment (ALPD)

Nouakchott September 22, 2006