Mauritania consolidates progress towards a FiTI Candidate application
NOUAKCHOTT – 12-15 September 2017. For the first visit since the transition of the FiTI to its implementation phase, the FiTI International Secretariat conducted a country visit in Mauritania to assess the current implementation status of the FiTI.
This transition that was marked by the 2nd International Conference of the FiTI, during which the global FiTI Standard was adopted by the Conference participants (‘Bali Communiqué of the FiTI’) enables countries to submit an application to the FiTI International Board to become a FiTI Candidate.
One of the main goals of the mission was therefore to assess the progress already made in completing the sign-up steps necessary before submitting such an application. Together with the relevant actors involved in the national FiTI process, the objective of the visit was also to identify the next priorities for Mauritania.
As it was the second time that the FiTI International Secretariat and the FiTI National Multi-Stakeholder Group met, one objective of this country visit was also to establish closer links with the Members of the Group, answer questions, offer knowledge support for further implementation and reemphasise their role and responsibilities in the FiTI process and vis-à-vis their stakeholder group.
Meetings with the FiTI National Lead and the yet-to-be institutionalised FiTI National Secretariat as well as with the FiTI National Multi-Stakeholder Group permitted to identify areas for improvements where some steps were not fully fulfilled. It was notably agreed that all documentation related to the FiTI process (nomination of the Ministry in Charge of FiTI implementation as well as FiTI National Lead; determination of profiles for the FiTI National MSG Members; as well as nomination of the Members) would be centralised so as to be available to all.
All actors agreed on the priority of institutionalising the FiTI National Secretariat at the Ministry of Fisheries to consolidate the work already achieved and to work hand in hand with the FiTI National Lead and the MSG in fulfilling the missing steps.
The high commitment and motivation of all actors involved in the FiTI allowed significant progress to be made during the week of the visit. Restitution meeting organised by some members of the FiTI National Multi-Stakeholder Group (one meeting with the Civil Society was organised on day following the meeting) also show the engagement of MSG Members beyond the MSG as well as their understanding of their role as representative of the Stakeholder Group.
As a next step, Mauritania will focus on the identified priorities in the framework of the FiTI process. The stated goal of the FiTI National Lead and of the FiTI National Multi-Stakeholder Group: submitting a Candidate application for Mauritania to the FiTI International Board by the end of 2017.