(The article below originally appeared in the CRIDEM website.
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ANAIR-IRD: Distribution of Layettes for Babies

Rosso, Mauritania ― July 16, 2010 ― Under the partnership between the National Agency for Support and Integration of Refugees (ANAIR) and the American NGO International Relief and Development (IRD), the returnees site of PK6 located in Rosso, hosted, Thursday, July 15, 2010, the launching ceremony of the distribution of 7,250 kits consisting of layettes to newborns and kids aged up to 2 years. This donation from IRD/HQ to ANAIR is for returning populations and vulnerable host populations in Mauritania. More than 7,000 children aged 0-2 years and women at term pregnancy will benefit from this operation.

The ceremony was chaired by the Director General of ANAIR, Ba Madine. He welcomed the success of the partnership between his institution and IRD. "Today, six agricultural cooperatives reference work full-time. The provision of improved seeds (rice, maize, sweet potato), the introduction of modern techniques (Drip irrigation and micro family garden, hydroponic table) and the technical capacity of producers in ten sites for returnees and three villages host (Dieuk, Djedida, Tounguène) confirm the good options these joint programs.

For its part, the IRD Country Representative in Mauritania, Mahamane Moussa stated that; “this support is the first in a series of activities that IRD intends to make to help the reintegration of returnees and ensure better social cohesion between communities (...). The facilities we have awarded the highest state authorities and the effective involvement of our partners in the implementation of our programs have been determinant in the success of our interventions”.

On behalf of the beneficiaries, the chief of PK6 site, Sow Moussa, said that all returnees have managed their smooth integration into the socio-economic development of their country; Pursuant to the commitment of President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz in August 2008, more than nineteen thousand Mauritanians have been repatriated under good conditions. Through various programs ANAIR, performed in five wilaya home, we even missed a crazy interlude in the history of our country “Today, this distribution will benefit everyone and I am pleased to see the strengthening of all factors of social cohesion between communities of returnees and host populations. This cohesion offers the opportunity for Mauritania to further itself up as example to be proud of its image and expand its influence internationally”; said the chief of PK 6 returnees site.

Finally, many officials have increased their presence at this ceremony including Mr. Sid'El Moustaph Ould Beban, Special Adviser to the ANAIR;  Mohamed Ould El Kory, communications director at ANAIR, representatives of UNHCR, the head of antenna n the ministry in charge of Women in Trarza, Acting Regional Health director of Trarza and Regional Representative of ANAIR in Trarza.