Madam the Secretary General of the Ministry of Culture and Communication,
Mister the Representative of the President of the High Authority of the press and Audiovisual,
Ladies and Gentlemen the journalists,
Honorable invitees,

We thank all of you very much for being here today on the occasion of the opening of this first session of training for the benefit of journalists from the private press.

It is also a great pleasure for me to do a brief introduction on a big topical debate, which emphasizes the importance of the role of the press, particularly at this crucial time for the future of a friendly  country, Mauritania.

As you know, the existence of free press is essential in any democratic society.  That is why the right of the public in being informed remains in the core of the American philosophy on the freedom of press and guides the media attitude, notably in its relationship with  the  rulers.

This vision of democracy which pushed the editors of the American constitution to make the freedom of expression as the subject of the first amendment of the bill of attached to this constitution.  The amendment specifies that the “Congress cannot adopt any law restricting the freedom of speech and press.”

Aware of the vital role of the press in a democracy, Thomas Jefferson, one of the founders of the American democracy, once declared that if he had to choose between government without press or press without government, “ he would not hesitate to choose the second solution”.

Ladies and gentlemen,

The American mission in Nouakchott attaches a great importance to the emergence of a democratic, prosperous society in Mauritania. This is why we don’t want to miss any occasion to speak about the press and the freedom of the expression.  We are aware of the heavy responsibility that weighs on the journalists and their role in the success of the next steps that require from them to demonstrate a lot of professionalism.
I ask the journalists, therefor, to be extremely rigourous in collecting,  processing, and disseminating the information.

Dear participants,

I hope that the program of today and tomorrow with a brilliant speaker of the caliber of David Applefield, will allow you to better put the light on the best ways for well managing a professional, responsible, and modern press entreprise in a young democracy.

I thank you, and  wish you success in your work.

Nouakchott, February 18, 2008.