BRUSSELS, June 23, (KUNA): The Prime Minister of Mauritania, Moulaye Ould Mohamed Laghhdaf, expressed here Wednesday his thanks and gratitude to Kuwait for its support and assistance to the development programme of Mauritania. “ I want to express my gratitude to the Amir of Kuwait, the government and the people of Kuwait for their support,”? he told a press conference after a 2-day international meeting on Mauritania in Brussels this afternoon. The Prime Minister said Kuwait has pledged over $100 million at the meeting held under the title round table for Mauritania. He expressed his appreciation for the support by Arab and Muslim countries to Mauritania and noted that over 60% of the $3.2 billion pledges made at the Brussels conference came from Arab and Muslim countries. The 2-day meeting was organized by the government of Mauritania with the support of the European Union, the World Bank and the United Nations Program for Development.

Abdullah Khalil Al-Musaibeeh, regional manager for Latin America and Caribbean countries in the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) took part in the conference.
Speaking to KUNA, Al-Musaibeeh, said the meeting aimed at mobilizing funds for the development and assistance for Mauritania and “we from the Fund thank the government for inviting us to the meeting.” He noted that KFAED is a major partner in the development of Mauritania and added that “we are here to boost our help to Mauritania.” He said that as part of this programme, KFAED will be funding the construction of the university campus in Nouakchott capital of Mauritania.
The project will be evaluated in the first week of July.

And soon there will be another project on water distribution network in Nouakchott and this is expected to be evaluated at the start of 2011.
The KAFED began its activities in Mauritania in 1975 giving 14 loans with the total value of $225 million in addition to eight technical assistance valued at $4.5 mn.
Kuwait has also given three scholarships to Mauritania valued at $10. 5 million , he said.
On his part, counsellor of the Kuwait Embassy in Brussels, Bassam Alqabandi said the Kuwait Embassy and the Kuwait diplomacy “is proud of the works of the KFAED.” Speaking to KUNA, Alqabandi said KFAED is considered to be an important and principle source accompanying the Kuwaiti diplomacy abroad in the arena of politics and humanitarian aid as well.
“We support the work of KFAED and look forward to a constructive cooperation in the interest of Kuwait, its foreign policy and its international standing,”? he added.