Arab iron and steel union holds 82nd session in Mauritania

The administrative board of the Arab iron and steel union, an organization affiliated to the Arab League, opened in Nouakchott on Tuesday.

The session held in the presence of delegates from 15 Arab states will look into means to increase trade in iron and steel among the Arab states, improve human competence in the field and set up a database on iron and steel markets.

Mauritanian minister of industry and mining, Zeidane Ould Hmeida, called the Arab states to participate in exploring iron mines in his country, the largest Arab producer of iron with 12 million tons annually and a reserve of billions of tons.

Arab iron production dropped from 17 million tons in 1998 to 16 millions in 1999 while imports have been increasing (about 11 million tons in 1999).

The Arab iron and steel union, set up on 1971, groups 15 member-states.