São Paulo – The government of France has granted a 1.5 million euro aid to Mauritania by means of the World Food Programme (WFP), according to an announcement made last Friday (8th) by the French embassy in the African country. The information was released by news agency Panapress.
The money will go to Mauritanian citizens affected by the food crisis, and half will be invested under WFP actions. The money will be spent on improving food security in the country and the nutritional state of needy populations.
The WFP is a program of the United Nations (UN). In Mauritania, the project is meant to provide nutritional aid to children and lactating women in seven different provinces.
Another portion of the cash will go to non-government organization Solidarités International, for the implementation of a project to improve the resistance of people affected by in Eastern Hodh. Due to the dearth of rain, approximately 1 million Mauritanians are threatened with hunger.
Half the country’s population depends on agriculture and livestock farming for a living. The Arab country also produces iron ore, which accounts for nearly 40% of its exports. Mauritania also explores oil, gold and copper. The country is attempting to attract foreign capital, has a Gross Domestic Product of roughly US$ 4 billion, and a population of roughly 3 million.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
