Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani recently visited the Inchiri region, where he delivered a speech emphasizing the importance of transforming the country's resources into wealth. He noted that possessing natural resources is not enough; it is the ability to transform them into production, value-added, employment, and sustainable prosperity that truly matters. The President's message went beyond a simple visit to assess the region's realities and challenges, instead conveying a significant economic message that resonated with the local population.
The President's speech in Akjoujt focused on redefining the concept of wealth, distinguishing between potential wealth and actual wealth created. He stressed that having minerals, land, water, and other resources does not automatically translate to economic and social wealth. Rather, it is the application of knowledge, skills, investment, organization, and hard work that converts these resources into tangible wealth. This perspective shift encourages a focus on the capacity of a nation's human capital, institutions, and productive sector to add value to its resources.
The President's choice of Inchiri as the location for this message was strategic, given the region's significant mining sector and economic history. The area provides a prime example of the difference between extracting resources and creating wealth. The President highlighted that the extraction of minerals marks the beginning of an economic cycle, not its conclusion. True value is created when extraction is accompanied by a supportive ecosystem of skills, engineering, services, technology, training, research, and investment.
A key aspect of the President's message was the emphasis on the youth as a vital force in transforming the country's potential into real wealth. He presented the youth as not just beneficiaries of development but as primary producers and creators of value. The President called for a focus on work, learning, and preparation for the future, stressing that these elements are crucial for converting potential into tangible wealth.
The President's speech also underscored the importance of work as an economic and social value, a driver of production, and a foundation for sustainable transformation. He encouraged a culture of hard work, stating "travailler, puis travailler, puis travailler" (work, and work again), which was seen as a call to action for individuals and a reaffirmation of the role of work in shaping the nation's future.
The President's vision for development in Mauritania appears to prioritize human capital, emphasizing the interconnectedness of education, societal transformation, and sustainable development. He has consistently highlighted the importance of private investment, job creation, and economic activity in the country's interior regions. This approach aims to create a cohesive national dynamic where human potential, knowledge, investment, and economic activity are intertwined.
The "revolution" in the President's message, therefore, lies not in the discovery of new resources but in a fundamental shift in how wealth is conceived and created. This shift focuses on the capacity of the Mauritanian people, their institutions, and their productive sector to transform the country's resources into lasting prosperity. The President's message from Inchiri offers a new perspective on wealth creation, one that could have far-reaching implications for Mauritania's economic and social development.
Key points
- President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani emphasizes the importance of transforming natural resources into wealth through human capacity and skills.
- The President's message highlights the need for a supportive ecosystem of skills, engineering, services, technology, training, research, and investment to create wealth.
- The youth are presented as a vital force in transforming Mauritania's potential into real wealth, with work, learning, and preparation for the future being crucial elements.
