Minister Işıkhan Inaugurated Occupational Health and Safety Laboratory Carried Into Effect with the Cooperation of Türkiye and Mauritania

Minister of Labour and Social Security Prof. Dr. Vedat Işıkhan paid a visit to Mauritania to inaugurate Toxicology and Measurement Laboratories affiliated to the National Centre of Occupational Health of Mauritania (ONMT), which is the joint project of the two countries. Işıkhan also held a bilateral meeting with Marieme Mint Boydiel HOUMEI, Minister of Public Services and Labour of Mauritania, prior to the inauguration of the laboratory.

During the bilateral meeting held with the Minister of Public Services and Labour of Mauritania Marieme Mint Houmei, Minister Işıkhan made assessments on the relations between Türkiye and Mauritania, the collaboration on the fields of working life and occupational health and safety as well as the enhancement of economic and commercial relations. Conveying his pleasure to be in Mauritania on the occasion of the inauguration of Toxicology and Measurement Laboratories affiliated to the National Centre of Occupational Health, which is the joint project of Türkiye and Mauritania,  Minister Işıkhan stated, “Mauritania and Türkiye are friendly and brotherly two countries having common historical and cultural ties. Sustaining this bond of fraternity between our countries, which is founded upon sound bases, in every field is valuable.”

“Turkish Investments Provide Added Value for the Economy of Africa”

Emphasizing that Turkish investments provide added value to the economies of various countries in Africa, Işıkhan continued as follows: “An increase in mutual investments will ensure a boost in our trade volume as well.  We are of the opinion that we could contribute to Mauritania’s welfare through the investments to be made by our private companies in the fields of energy, mining and infrastructure. We rely on the support to be provided by Mauritanian authorities to facilitate the activities and investment procedures of our firms in Mauritania. We are convinced that these investments will have a positive impact on our cooperation in employment and labour markets.”

Minister Işıkhan invited his counterpart to Türkiye to sign the agreement on interministerial cooperation, following the completion of the negotiations in this regard.

Occupational Health and Safety Laboratory Embarked with Türkiye’s Support was Inaugurated

Toxicology and Measurement Laboratories affiliated to Mauritanian National Centre of Occupational Health (ONMT), whose technological infrastructure and financing were undertaken by Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) with the transmittal of knowledge, experience and technical capacity of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, were put into service by Minister Işıkhan.

Noting that the relations between Türkiye and Mauritania further strengthen day after day on the basis of mutual trust, friendship, fraternity and solidarity, in his speech during the inaugural ceremony of the Laboratory, Minister Işıkhan stated that working life is one of the fields of crucial and strategic cooperation relating to the robust relations of the two countries.   

Underlining that that the relations between Türkiye and Mauritania further strengthen day after day on the basis of mutual trust, friendship, fraternity and solidarity, Minister Işıkhan went on as follows: “We are aiming to deepen our relations with Mauritania within the framework of our Türkiye-Africa Partnership Policy, thus shifting them beyond bilateral cooperation. As for working life, it is one of the crucial and strategic fields of cooperation relating to the robust relations between our countries. In this light, we view sharing the knowledge, experience and institutional capacity we have acquired in working life with friendly and brotherly countries as a conscientious and historic responsibility. This laboratory we are inaugurating today is a concrete indicator of this notion.”

“The Laboratory will Improve the Quality of OHS Services in Mauritania”

Stating that the concrete outputs and technical opportunities put forth by the laboratory project launched with the cooperation of Directorate General for Occupational Health and Safety, TİKA and National Department of Occupational Health of Mauritania are among the best examples of the sound solidarity between the two countries,  Minister Işıkhan noted, “While TİKA undertook financing and technological infrastructure of this Project, experts of our Ministry shared their knowledge, experience and technical capacity with our Mauritanian brothers. I am convinced that the work to be performed here will substantially contribute to the improvement of occupational health and safety services in Mauritania. Besides, it will contribute to ensuring a healthier and safer environment for employees and raising the standards of working life further.”

Efforts under Way for International Accreditation

Before ending his speech, Minister Işıkhan shared a piece of good news with the participants of the inaugural ceremony and stated, “We are taking another step to turn this laboratory which we will put into service in a short while into a reliable centre on an international scale, which will render service to the countries of the region. In this regard, we are initiating the endeavours necessary to prepare our laboratory for accreditation process. I am convinced that this step will substantially contribute to transform our laboratory into a reliable centre of reference, not only at national level but also on a regional scale.”