At the invitation of the Mauritanian Government, the Secretary General of the ICDO, Her Excellency YAP MARIATOU took part in the ceremonies celebrating the World Civil Defense Day (WCDD) on March 1st.


The ceremony which took place in Nouadhibou, the economic capital of Mauritania, was heled with the participation of the Secretary General of the Ministry of the Interior and Decentralization and the Delegate General for Civil Security. It was punctuated by speeches including that of the Secretary General of the ICDO and the presentation of decorations to firefighters.

Due to the cooperation that exists between Mauritania and Monaco, the Honorary Consul of Monaco was the special guest of the Ministry. It should be recalled that Monaco is an observer member of the ICDO and that this bilateral cooperation had been initiated by the ICDO.

The celebration of the WCDD is the culmination of an official visit which began on Monday February 27, 2023 with audiences with the Prime Minister, Mahmoud Ould Bilal Massoud and Minister of Interior and Decentralization. These hearings were followed by a visit to the Rescue Center and the Riadh Medical Center.


Tuesday February 28 saw the delegation move to Nouadhibou. The Secretary General was received by the Wali (Governor) of Dakhlet Nouadhibou.This was followed by a visit to the shipyards of Nouadhibou and the National Mining Industry Company (SNIM).
It should be noted that Nouadhibou concentrates a strong industrial activity both mining and port, which exposes it to significant industrial risks.


In order to raise awareness among actors and decision-makers in the sector, a workshop on the subject was held at the Hotel Free Zone in Nouadhibou on March 1, 2023 following the ceremonies.