On his first trip as European Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jozef Síkela signed a €100 million Budget Support Agreement with Mauritania on Thursday 19 December.
The funding will be used primarily to support the development of ‘green’ hydrogen, access to healthcare and migration management.
The agreement is part of a wider €210 million package announced last February (see EUROPE 13346/26), which forms part of the EU’s ‘Global Gateway’ investment strategy. It aims to benefit “both Mauritania and the EU”, stressed the Commissioner in a joint statement with his counterpart, the Mauritanian Minister for the Economy and Finance, Sid’Ahmed Bouh.
“This rapid payment reflects our confidence in the Mauritanian government, its relevant policies and its commitment to macroeconomic stability under the IMF programme”, said Mr Síkela. And he added: “For Europe, [this partnership] opens up new opportunities for our businesses and a more stable Sahel region”.
A first instalment of €23 million is expected be paid by the European Commission to the Mauritanian Treasury in the short term.
When asked about the conditions for the allocation of EU funds by the Mauritanian authorities in order to achieve their objectives, the European Commissioner said that he was working “together in a spirit of mutual understanding”. (Original version in French by Bernard Denuit)