Nouakchott, Islamic Republic of Mauritania:

The Mauritania Government is the first full partner of TAP among the 11 governments of countries in the Sahara Region of Africa and is the first to appoint a sole Government of Mauritania Liaison to TAP, consequently designated to join the TAP Management Project Team.

The appointment of Mr. Fall, a Canadian-educated and trained engineer, is highly-significant in TAP’s on-going progress.

“I very much look forward to working with TAP on building a 700 km. freshwater pipeline across the Mauritanian desert, not only because it promises to provide my country with a permanent source of desperately needed, life-saving fresh, clean water,” said Mr. Fall, “but also because it allows me to use my training, education and experience as a mechanical engineer with Canadian firms – and other engineers – in a very worthwhile and significant project. This will result in stopping, as no Mauritanian ever thought possible, the advancing deadly desert sand and reversing it back to a resuscitated land, a promised land where crops could be produced again! Hence, what Mother Nature did not do with rains to at least alleviate the devastating effects of the desert on the generations that have horribly suffered and passed away, but at last, my people, now as never before, have miraculous hope that TAP will potentially provide the right to a much better life for current and future generations to come! Also, what a tremendous project that, when successfully completed, will bring this same life-saving fresh water infrastructure to all the other 10 countries as well, that have been severely affected by drought for several consecutive years across the Sahel. What a field of human endeavor to be part of and to modestly contribute to its success, for verily, water is ever life!”

In July, 2015, the Pan African Great Green Wall agency (PAGGW), 11 Sahel countries co-operating to halt desert encroachment with a corridor of forest and agriculture, unanimously endorsed TAP to help provide fresh water to enable and sustain the Great Green Wall. In May of 2016, the Mauritania Government and TAP signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to work together to launch TAP’s Phase One, construction of one of four large-scale desalination plants, the first on the coast of Mauritania, solar power plants, and approximately 700 km. of pipeline. This was TAP’s first MOU with a national government and the first with a government member of the Pan African Great Green Wall Agency, headquartered in Mauritania.

In 2016, TAP continued discussions with Sudan and Djibouti for implementation in those coastal countries of TAP desalination and solar installations, modelled on Mauritania as a precedent. TAP also plans to harvest commercial-grade salt from its desalination installations, instead of returning the salt brine to the ocean – a common practice – which could damage Mauritania’s entire fishing industry.

In October of 2016, TAP hosted a full-day visit and business meeting with Mauritania’s Minister Delegate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Cooperation of Mauritania, responsible for Maghrebian and African Affairs and Expatriate Mauritanians, Her Excellency Mdm. Khadijetou Mbareck Fall. Minister Fall visited Toronto specifically to meet with TAP, accompanied by her Ambassador, Mr. Mohamed Saleck, Communication Director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation. Intensive discussions included land bank/land corridor requirements in Mauritania, the process of site location for TAP installations, the commercial potential of salt harvesting, and the necessity of substantial employment and education of Mauritanian residents.

The appointment of Mr. Mbacké Fall as the Mauritania Government Co-ordinator for TAP provides some particular benefits to TAP, as Mr. Fall, a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.), was trained as a mechanical engineer at Montreal’s École Polytechnique, affiliated with the University of Montreal. Fluent in both French and English, he was a member of the Ordre des Ingénieurs du Québec and the Canadian Institute of Engineers. Mr. Fall worked in Canada for 18 years, in project, health & safety and maintenance management in the pulp and paper industry, in construction/heavy industry sectors, and with companies such as Domtar and Emco, a former division of Imperial Esso. In addition, he also held positions in the field of international trade between Africa, North America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. In Mauritania, his experience includes the Mauritanian National Regulatory Council at the National Regulatory Authority, a multi-sector organization regulating the telecom, water, electricity and postal services and senior positions in the health field at both the national government and hospital levels, in the nation’s capital.

The president of TAP, Dr. Rod Tennyson, P. Eng., said, “I am delighted that the Government of Mauritania has appointed Mr. Fall as their government liaison/co-ordinator of the TAP project as we begin to implement Phase 1 in Mauritania. His experience and input not only as an engineer but as a Canadian-trained engineer, and his assistance in the planning and logistics of building Phase 1 of the TAP pipeline in Mauritania, will be invaluable to the success of TAP. TAP’s success in Mauritania will undoubtedly enhance our progress in all the PAGGW countries across the Sahel.”

Released by: TAP