By ranking 1st on the African and Arab levels in the field of press freedom, 33rd place in the world, Mauritania stands out in the 2024 ranking of Reporter Without Borders (RSF).
RSF 2024 page @Crédit Aidara
Like every year, and on the same date, Mauritania celebrated May 3, 2024, World Press Day, like the international community. This commemoration coincided this year with happy news that the entire nation celebrated. It’s about RSF 2024 report ranking Mauritania as the first country in terms of press freedom in Africa and the Arab world, 33rd out of 180 countries worldwide. A place that no African or Arab country has hitherto reached. It must be said that Mauritania has come a long way, with a place of 94th in 2019 and 88th in 2023.
With this ranking, the country moves further away from the gloomy picture of the countries least respectful of the rights of journalists, with zero journalists killed, zero journalists in prison.
This result is the fruit of several efforts made by the Mauritanian public authorities and the public institutions in charge of the press sector.
Among these efforts, the work carried out in 2020-2021 by the National Commission for Press Reform and the report resulting from these consultations carried out in consultation with stakeholders in the sector, and which led to the promulgation of a new professional press law.
Reforms in the field of the press continued subsequently through the expansion of the powers of the High Authority of the Press and Audiovisual (HAPA)the promulgation of an ordinance on the service electronic pressthe reform of the public aid fund for the private press, the envelope of which has been increased, the upgrading of the working conditions of journalists in the public sector, the issue of new broadcasting licenses for the benefit of two television channels.
In the congratulations he addressed to journalists on the occasion of the international press day of May 3, the Head of State, Mohamed Sheikh Ghazouani reaffirmed “ its commitment to continue working to create a more favorable environment for journalists in Mauritania “. He emphasized “ the importance for journalists to be able to practice their profession in accordance with the laws and professional ethics, essential to the integrity of this noble profession ».
Sheikh Aïdara