Mauritania raises US$3.5 million to promote ancient cities

Nouakchott, Mauritania (PANA) – The Mauritanian government has raised US$3.5 million to promote and develop the four ancient cities, official sources told PANA on Friday.

The Mauritanian cities classified as world heritage sites by UNESCO are Chinguitty, Oualata, Tichitt and Ouadane.

The cities, which were the historic and commercial meeting point for civilizations between the Maghreb and Africa, played key roles in the dissemination of Islamic knowledge in the 11th-13th centuries.

The fund has the objective to fix populations in their desert territory.

The resources drawn from the State tax receipts will help develop those cities as "symbol of national identity", according to president Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz.

The influence of those cities also bears the marks of a “moderate Islam” contrary to the vision of small Islamic terrorist groups, president Aziz added.

All Mauritanian cities located in the desert and ancient cities are targets of the activities of the terrorist group, Al Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb (AQMI).
-0- PANA SAS/TBM/MSA/MA 18Feb2011