Mauritania Moves To Privatize Telecommunications

The Mauritanian ministers' council Wednesday approved the splitting of Posts from Telecommunications in a move aimed at privatizing telecommunications in 2001.

This decision, prescribed by the World Bank and the IMF, is dictated by state disengagement and private-sector-boosting demands.

Several foreign companies, who would be the only ones able to make tenders due to the high technology needed in the telecommunications sector, would be interested in buying the shares of the future telecommunications company in Mauritania. The Posts would remain under the government's authority. Posts and Telecommunications were so far managed by the Interior ministry.