MAURITANIA: Working week changed in line with economic partners

[ This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]

NOUAKCHOTT, 6 Apr 2005 (IRIN) - Mauritania’s two-day weekend has been shifted to Saturday and Sunday, bringing the Islamic Republic in line with its economic partners, following a ministerial vote on Wednesday.

Friday is the Muslim holy day and previously was the first day of the weekend in Mauritania, with Sunday a full working day.

Prime Minister Sghair Ould M'barek told ministers that Mauritania lost 17 billion ougiya (US $64 million) every year through not working on Fridays.

As from next week, businesses and government offices will be open Monday to Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Friday work will stop from midday for prayers.

The Islamic High Council, the most powerful religious body in the country, has approved the decision.

But on the dusty streets of the desert capital Nouakchott, the response has been mixed.

Office workers, particularly in industries with international connections, think the change a positive one.

"It is a good decision that we are now in line with the outside world," said Mohamed Salem, director of a travel agency.

Mauritania, which conducts the majority of its international trade with Europe, will become an oil-exporting nation when deep-sea oil fields roar into production next year. With the oil has come global business to the once remote country of less than 3 million people.

"Before, we were essentially cut off from the outside world for four days of every week,” said bank manager Moktar Fall. “We had to get all our transactions done between Monday and Wednesday, because if they got left to Thursday they would just get stuck as we wound down for the Mauritanian weekend”.

But some residents see the change as a sop to the West.

"It is a clear move to please Western governments - even more so than the recognition of Israel," said an old Imam in a small mosque in Nouakchott.

In 1999, Mauritania became the only Islamic Republic to forge diplomatic relations with Israel, through an agreement signed in the US capital Washington.

Arab states criticised the government, accusing President Maaouiya Ould Taya of compromising principles to foster better relations with the United States.

But in the Nouakchott city market, poor women traders felt unconcerned.

"We work everyday, it doesn't change things much for us whatever they decide," said Fatima, a young woman who sells ladies clothes on the market.

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