U.S. trains Mauritanian bloggers and journalists ahead of presidential election

The U.S. recently launched a 5-day news training program for bloggers and journalists in Mauritania ahead of their presidential election this June. 

“Like the United States, Mauritania values expression. Mauritania is celebrated as the land of a thousand poets. The country boasts a vibrant community of amateur journalists and bloggers who fully exercise their right to free expression,” said U.S. ambassador to Mauritania Cynthia Kierscht in a press release.

Reporter without Borders ranks Mauritania at number 86 among a list of 180 countries and territories on the World Press Freedom Index. That is above many other Arab and North African nations. 

The media training session focusing on key journalistic principles comes just months before Mauritanians go to the polls to vote for their next president. 

“As Mauritanians prepare for upcoming elections later this summer, it becomes important to empower news consumers to navigate the influx of information, distinguishing between misinformation, disinformation, and truth,” said Kierscht.