In December 2024, the Government of Mauritania officially joined the Partnership for Information and Democracy, becoming the 55th member and the 6th member from the African continent. It reflects the government’s commitment to enhance democratic rules in the global information space and is aligned with its recent improvement in RSF’s press freedom index in 2024.
Mauritania’s new government, re-elected in summer 2024, becomes the 55th member of the Partnership for Information and Democracy. The country has recently remarkably improved its freedom of the press situation, by moving up from the 86th to the 33th place of 180 in RSF’s press freedom index in 2024. The Partnership presents an important opportunity to also tackle the challenges that big tech and new technologies pose to Mauritania’s information space.
“We are very pleased to welcome Mauritania in the Partnership for Information and Democracy, an important symbol from the government to enhance access to reliable information and democracy in the country. This international framework for cooperation will provide Mauritania with the possibility to shape international responses to big tech while also learning from other countries’ efforts”, explains Camille Grenier, Executive Director of the Forum on Information and Democracy.
“Through our membership in the International Partnership for Information and Democracy and our active commitment to implementing its principles, the Mauritanian government, under the leadership of His Excellency the Prime Minister, Mr Mokhtar Ould Ahmed, is endeavouring to work with the signatory parties to strengthen cooperation in the field of media freedoms. Mauritania will remain open to any initiative aimed at promoting individual and collective freedoms and anchoring democracy in the world, in particular those launched by organisations recognised for their professional commitment and innovative initiatives in favour of freedom of expression, such as Reporters Without Borders.” Hussein Ould Medou – Minister of Culture, Arts, Information and Relations with Parliament, Government Spokesman.
In parallel, the Forum on Information and Democracy is also strengthening its engagement with Mauritanian civil society, notably Mauritania Perspectives. The NGO will run an assessment of Mauritania’s political and legal framework governing the information space and initiate dialogues on potential reforms. Thereby, Mauritanie Perspectives is joining the Forum’s Civil Society Coalition spanning more than 60 organizations in more than 30 countries worldwide.
