NATO’s new project to boost Mauritania’s crisis management capabilities launched

NATO’s Science for Peace and Security (SPS) Programme has launched “PROMEDEUS”, a new project which will further enhance Mauritania’s crisis management system. It builds on the achievements of two previous projects that established a crisis management centre in Nouakchott and four regional operational

coordination centres. The new project aims to support the development of Mauritania’s operational capabilities and emergencies management in the fields of public health and civil protection.

PROMEDEUS will create two civil protection units in the regions of Brakna and Assaba. Over the next 30 months, a system for pre-hospital patient dispatching, including a telemedicine component, will be launched to provide medical care to major trauma or medical emergency victims in Nouakchott and surrounding areas. The pre-hospital dispatching system will be introduced in close collaboration with the Mauritanian Center for crisis monitoring, alerts, and management (COVACC), and the Centre for public health and emergency operations (CNOUSP).

Speaking at the online launch event today (10 July 2010), NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană underlined that, “The Islamic Republic of Mauritania is an essential partner of NATO, with whom our Alliance actively cooperate across various mechanisms, including the Mediterranean Dialogue. Our cooperation contributes to the security and stability of the region, and the fight against global threats and challenges”. Dr Raed Arafat, Secretary of State and Head of the Department for Emergency Situations at the Romanian Ministry of Interior emphasized that, “PROMEDEUS helps ensuring better preparedness and effective response to emergencies by enhancing Mauritania’s operational capabilities for civil protection and medical emergency response, based on establishing an integrated vision and a mechanism for close cooperation between all stakeholders”. 

This effort brings together expertise from Romania, Mauritania and France, and is supported by the NATO Science for Peace and Security (SPS) Programme. “We are grateful to NATO, and are committed to work with experts from Romania and France to launch two additional civil protection units and foster telemedicine in Mauritania”, stated Dr. Mohamed Salem Ould Merzoug, Minister of Interior and Decentralization of Mauritania.

PROMEDEUS will improve the coordination between the Mauritanian Civil Protection, health emergency system and participating authorities. The project will address security challenges of mutual concern to NATO and Mauritania by enhancing capabilities in the area of crisis management, and will have an impact on the broader Sahel region. The results foreseen from this project are of high importance to protect people, goods and the environment, and to ensure better and faster response to the threats they face. Eventually, the capabilities developed through this project will be extended to nearly all the Mauritanian territory.

PROMEDEUS is the continuation of efforts implemented by the SPS Programme in Mauritania between 2012-2017, which led to the establishment of a crisis management centre (COVACC) and of four regional coordination centres. With support from the SPS Programme, the centres have been supplied with training and modern communication equipment for crisis monitoring, alert and management, and are currently operational.

Source: nato.int

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