Press Release

U.S. Government Finances Democracy Support in Mauritania

Pledges $200,000

Joseph LeBaron, Ambassador of the United States at Nouakchott, participated in a signing ceremony with Mr. Mohamed Ould Abed, the Minister of Economic Affairs and Development today to formalize support to the United Nations Development Program’s Basket Fund for Mauritania.  The U.S. contribution amounts to $200,000. 

This amount represents only a portion of total U.S. funding intended to promote democracy and support the organization of free elections.  The U.S. government will also finance a multi-year democracy-building program, principally through the American non-governmental organization, the National Democratic Institute.  The total amount of all these contributions is nearly $1,000,000.

Also attending the ceremony were Mr. Mohamed Ahmed O. Mohamed Lemine, Minster of the Interior for Posts and Telecommunications,  Col. Cheikh Sid'Ahmed O. Babamine, President of the National Electoral Commission, Mrs. Cecile Molinier, Represententative of the United Nations Development Fund in Mauritania, and several other Western ambassadors accredited to Mauritania.

Nouakchott, May 11, 2006