Source : Sahel weather September 2024 

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Following the re-election of President Ghazouani, the formation of a new government headed by Prime Minister Moktar Ould Diay was not long in coming. From then on, the crucial step that was eagerly awaited by the representatives of the people was the Declaration of General Policy, to give them a clearer vision of the main thrusts of the government's program.

On September 04, Prime Minister Mokhtar Ould Diay presented the Government's General Policy to the National Assembly. This grand oration, provided for in article 42 of the Constitution, focused on five priority areas: speeding up current projects, launching new ones, improving living conditions, encouraging citizen participation and launching studies for strategic reforms. This is certainly the reason why the National Assembly largely adopted the General Policy Statement, with 140 deputies approving the document as opposed to 25 who voted against it.

Moreover, “traditional and hereditary slavery practices” still exist in Mauritania, despite the fact that in 1981 it was the last country in the world to abolish slavery. On September 09, with a view to better combating this practice, as well as human and migrant trafficking, the National Assembly ratified a new bill, the objectives of which were detailed by the Minister of Justice. Among the proposed reforms is the creation of a specialized jurisdiction with national competence. The new body will also be expected to harmonize the judicial system across the country. Hence the need for ongoing dialogue between the various players and local communities to ensure the success and ownership of this initiative, which aims to strengthen the protection of human rights in the country.

On the international front, the Minister of Defense travelled to Beijing to take part in the ^11th Xiangshan Forumon international security and military cooperation, held from September 12 to 14, and took the opportunity to sign a memorandum of understanding with his Chinese counterpart. This document is an important milestone in SinoMauritanian military cooperation, and Mauritania's involvement in this forum expresses the country's ambition to play a decisive role in defense and security on the international stage.

Also in Beijing, Malian and Mauritanian Presidents Goita and Ghazouani met for the first time on September 4 on the sidelines of the ninth Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). The meeting, which took place against a backdrop of border tensions between the two countries, was seen as a move to ease diplomatic relations between Bamako and Nouakchott, which are concerned by common security and development challenges.