The President of Mauritania Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani announced Wednesday evening a social assistance plan to alleviate the expected effects of the coronavirus (Covid-19) on the population.
The cornerstone of this plan is to create a special fund for social solidarity and battle the coronavirus. The State will contribute up to $66 million pending the participation of Mauritanian economic actors and international partners, President Gaehouani explained in an address to the nation.
So far, Mauritania has registered two cases of coronavirus in two foreigners who recently arrived in the country.
The implementation of the plan announced by President Ghazouani includes the allocation of $13 million to support some 30,000 needy families, women-led households and vulnerable or disabled persons.
Within the same framework, the Mauritanian State will exempt products such as wheat, cooking oil, powdered milk, vegetables and fruit from taxes and customs duties for the remaining months of the current year.
These exemptions will undoubtedly contribute to lowering the prices of these goods which are basic for Mauritanians.
Also, water and electricity bills will be covered by the Public Treasury for poor families for 2 months, while this will cover water in all villages in the country for the rest of the year.
The Mauritanian Head of State stressed that the resources mobilised for the special fund for social solidarity and the fight against coronavirus will in no way affect the social and development projects programmed for the year 2020.
MOO/Dng/te/lb/APA