WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, concluded a visit to Mauritania today to reaffirm WHO's support for the country's efforts to position health as a strategic investment for economic development, regional stability and human security. During the visit, Dr Tedros met with His Excellency President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani and participated in the Regional Health Invest Forum, which culminated in the adoption of the Nouakchott Declaration on enhancing local production and investment in health.

During his audience with President Ghazouani, Dr Tedros commended Mauritania's leadership in promoting health as a national development priority and discussed opportunities to strengthen primary health care, universal health coverage, health security and sustainable health financing. He reaffirmed WHO's commitment to supporting the Government's ambitious health reforms and its vision of positioning Mauritania as a regional hub for health investment and cooperation.

The visit coincided with the Regional Health Invest Forum, co-organized by the Ministry of Health of Mauritania, the Islamic Centre for Development of Trade (ICDT), WHO, the Islamic Development Bank and the African Development Bank. Hosted under the leadership of His Excellency Thiam Tidjani, Minister of Health of Mauritania, the Forum brought together government leaders, development partners, financial institutions and private sector stakeholders to accelerate investment in health and pharmaceutical development across Africa and Member States of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).