صحافة بلادي صحيفة إلكترونية مغاربية متجددة على مدار الساعة تعنى بشؤون المغرب الجزائر ليبيا موريتانيا تونس
Mauritania – My Press
I startedMauritanian authoritiesDuring the recent period, strict measures were implemented to regulate the private gold prospecting sector, by preventing foreigners, including those coming from the Tindouf camps, from practicing this activity, which has become legally restricted to Mauritanian citizens only, in a step aimed at putting an end to the chaos that the sector has witnessed during the past months.
According to available data, units of the army, gendarmerie, and border guards have intensified field surveillance operations inside excavation sites, especially in the border areas, where several violations were recorded related to the illegal practice of excavation activity by foreigners, which prompted the authorities to deport a number of violators and dismantle some unorganized gatherings.
This move comes in response to the demands of private mining professionals, who called for the protection ofNatural resourcesNationalism and ensuring that citizens benefit from it, in light of the dependence of a large segment of Mauritanians on this activity as a main source of income, in exchange for the increasing pressure placed by informal miners on these resources.
On the other hand, the decision is also linked to growing security considerations, as it facesMauritaniaIncreasing challenges at the level of its borders, especially with Mali and some neighboring regions that know of fragile security, which makes the infiltration of foreign prospectors into the Mauritanian interior a source of real concern, both in terms of security and in terms of the diplomatic repercussions associated with their movements in areas close to the borders of other countries.
Nouakchott has also begun to download a gradual plan to secure its borders, which includes strengthening the military presence and establishing a buffer zone on the border with Algeria, with the aim of reducing infiltration and reducing incidents related to illegal exploration activities, provided that these measures are expanded to include the rest of the border areas according to the available capabilities.
Despite these measures, the authorities face difficulties on the ground, especially in distinguishing between some irregular prospectors and citizens, given the social and linguistic proximity, in addition to the availability of some of them with local documents. However, the new decision confirms the comprehensiveness of the ban for all foreigners without exception, within the framework of reorganizing the sector and strengthening its monitoring.
This approach is based on Law No. 2022-026 issued on December 12, 2022, which stipulates that private mining activity be limited to Mauritanian citizens, with careful regulation of small-scale and semi-industrial exploitation activities through licensed local companies, in a step aimed at establishing better governance for this vital sector.
Source:“My press”
