AFRICA/MAURITANIA - Catholic Bishop of Nouakchott appeals for food aid: “Half the population is hungry and many could die of starvation”

Monday, 29 August 2005

Nouakchott (Fides Service)- Mauritania is affected by the serious food shortage felt in other Sahel belt countries especially Niger. The Catholic Bishop of Nouakchott Martin Happe has appealed for urgent international aid. “Half the population is hungry and there is a threat of starvation” the Bishop said during a visit to Portugal. “Although the Christians are all immigrants they are no better off and live like the rest of the people” said Bishop Happe. “Since the 1970s the country has suffered from severe drought. Farmers abandoned the fields and moved to the towns. Last year we had an invasion of locusts in the region of Nouakchott which made the situation even worse”.
The Bishop said the Caritas office in Mauritania opened thirty years ago runs programmes to assist stricken farmers.
On 3 August a military coup ousted the President of Mauritania Maaouiya Ould Taya, in Saudi Arabia for the funeral of King Fahd at the time. The coup leaders promised to organise free and transparent elections. The Islamic Republic of Mauritania has a population of 2.6 million (99% Muslim) including a community of about 4,000 Catholics. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 29/8/2005 righe 19 parole 214)


Share: