World Bank approves $39 m for HIV/AIDS and mining

The World Bank has approved a US $39 million financial package for Mauritania to improve its mining industry and fight against HIV/AIDS, the Bank reported on Tuesday. The package consists of an $18 million credit for the mining industry, which forms the backbone of the West African country's exports, and a $21 million grant for fighting HIV/AIDS among its 2.5 million people. The credit will finance the Second Mining Sector Capacity Building Project which aims to strengthen the "government's capacity to act as a facilitator and regulator of mining activities and therefore significantly increase private investment in the sector", the Bank said in a statement. Exploitation of Mauritania's reserves, mainly iron ore and copper, began in the 1960's and has contributed significantly to its economic growth. The other important source of revenue is fish. The grant for fighting HIV/AIDS, the bank said, will build responses to the epidemic through a Multisector HIV/AIDS Control Project that will enable Mauritania to expand community-based initiatives, mainstream HIV/AIDS into activities of government departments, involve the private sector, maintain infection levels below the prevalence rate of one percent and reduce opportunistic infections. The primary focus will be on vulnerable groups such as women and youth, defense and other uniformed personnel, ministry staff and their families. Religious leaders will also be trained to help and provide community assistance to infected and affected people. "Mauritania is at an early stage of the epidemic spread. The project will help build the country's capacity to organize a pre-emptive response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic", Serge Theunynck, World Bank Task Team Leader for the Mauritania AIDS project said. Mauritania is a Sahelian country that bridges the Arab states of the Mahgreb and the black nations of Sub-Saharan Africa. It experienced food shortages this year and underlying political tensions led to a coup attempt last month. A former French colony, it is an Islamic Republic that uses Arabic as its official language, but maintains strong ties with Israel and the USA.