The MFWA’s national partner organisation in Mauritania, Regroupement de la Press Mauritanienne (RPM) has deplored the crisis at the state printing press Imprimerie Nationale that has resulted in the absence of newspapers from the newsstands since June 18, 2018.
In a press release issued on June 27, 2018, RPM criticised government’s indifference and called on them to find an urgent and lasting solution to the crisis to ensure the regular publication of newspapers.
Kindly read RPM’s press release below
Press Release of the Regroupement de la Press Mauritanienne (RPM)
27 June, 2018 – 16:21
For two weeks Mauritania, which is preparing to host the African Union Summit, is probably the only country in the world without newspapers. The reason for this state of affairs is the strike action by workers of the Imprimerie Nationale (the state printing press) for unpaid wages.
More than 50% of the annual state subsidy for the media having been ceded to the Imprimerie Nationale in the form of support for printing, the Mauritanian press is the first victim of this situation, since it no longer has funds to print their journals in an alternative printing press.
Faced with this unacceptable situation, the Regroupement de la Presse Mauritanienne (RPM):
- Strongly protests against the indifference of the authorities;
- Calls to witness national and international opinion on the reasons for the non-publication of newspapers
- Calls on the public authorities to find an urgent and lasting solution to the crisis to ensure the regular publication of newspapers;
- Solicits the support of all public and private actors as well as freedom and democracy advocates to ensure that the situation is not allowed to continue;
- Apologises to readers who have been starved of newspapers
Nouakchott, June 26, 2018
Signed: President