This will hurt Algeria! Mauritania independent and stronger than ever: “channel internal resources towards investment for an economy more resilient to external fluctuations and eradicate corruption in all its forms

This article was automatically translated from HIBAPRESS, the Arabic version:

HIBAPRESS-RABAT- AMI

The National Assembly adopted Monday evening, during a plenary session held under the presidency of Mr. Mohamed Bamba Meguett, the initial 2025 finance bill.

The 2025 finance bill, which balances revenue and expenditure at 116,872,310,000 ouguiyas, is part of the government’s strategy aimed at minimizing budgetary imbalances and avoiding budgetary slippages.

The government has set a set of objectives in the finance bill for 2025, in particular the reaffirmation of the government’s commitment to achieving the priorities defined in the program of the President of the Republic by aligning budgetary resources with ambitions. strategies, strengthening access to basic services, particularly in the health, education, drinking water and energy sectors, developing infrastructure in the transport, energy and hydraulics, the strengthening of the republican school by the allocation of significant resources to national education, and the economic integration of young people through several entrepreneurship and professional training programs and support for innovation.

Generally speaking, the 2025 budgetary policy is based on improving resource mobilization through a sustainable tax collection policy, on proper implementation of mechanisms for mobilizing external resources under preferential conditions. and on the prioritization of expenditure within the framework of the government’s socio-economic policy.

In accordance with the program of the President of the Republic and the strategy of accelerated growth and shared prosperity, the government has defined the orientations of the finance bill for the year 2025, which include the continuation of tax reforms aimed at improving mobilization resources to finance public policies, the maintenance of peace and security and the protection of the territorial integrity of the country, the maintenance of macroeconomic stability, the creation of favorable conditions for the structural transformation of the economy and strong and inclusive growth, the beginning of a downward trend in current expenditure after its sharp increase in recent years due to the COVID pandemic and high energy prices, as well as environmental protection, in addition to of the natural environment and priority to the development of human capital.

The government developed the 2025 finance law on the basis of a growth forecast of 6%, relying on the dynamism of the extractive sector and the start of gas export activities, as well as on a clear improvement in agricultural production.

Growth in the primary sector will increase from 6.8% in 2024 to 5.17% in 2025, which generally represents a stabilization of the sector. The secondary sector will see its growth rate increase from 2.1% in 2024 to 4.32% in 2025; this increase in the growth rate is due to the strong activity of the mineral sector and the start of gas exports, while the tertiary sector will continue its dynamism with a growth rate of 5.3% in 2024 to 4.03% in 2025 , according to data from the report of the Finance Committee of the National Assembly.

The finance bill for 2025 allocates 51 billion ouguiyas to the investment budget compared to 42 billion in 2024, an increase of 9 billion ouguiyas, while management expenses in the finance bill for 2025 amount to 65.68 billion Ouguiyas against 65.95 billion Ouguiyas in 2024, which means stability of management expenses, and tax resources in the draft budget for 2025 are estimated at 72.23 billion ouguiyas compared to 67.33 billion in 2024, which represents a slight increase.

The draft finance law for 2025 indicates that revenues will reach 110,500,000,000 Ouguiyas, compared to 104,358,473,393 ouguiyas in the amending finance law for 2024, an increase of just over 6 billion Ouguiyas.

The government was represented by the Minister of Economy and Finance, Mr. Sid Ahmed Bouh, who provided detailed responses to the observations, questions and suggestions made by the deputies.

The minister indicated that the initial finance bill for 2025 reflects an ambitious vision of the country’s development. This budget is realistic because it allocates resources based on testable assumptions and achieves spending levels consistent with the needs of the country’s current economic trajectory.

He stressed that the draft finance law for 2025 was developed within the framework of a macroeconomic context in which the GDP growth rate should reach 4.2%, compared to 4.6% in 2024, noting that its implementation This work will make it possible to continue to control price increases and limit them to a level below 4%.

The minister noted that the – preliminary – budget balance will be 1.44%, compared to 1.12%, and that the current account deficit will remain at 9%.

The requirement to channel internal resources into investment aims to make the economy stronger and more resilient to external fluctuations, as well as to have a diversified production base, he said, noting that the economy of the country needs solidity and resilience in the face of international economic crises.

The government’s efforts are focused on controlling the pace of public expenditure for administration, avoiding, identifying, controlling and limiting costs in the general state budget, he said.

He explained the different expenditure items in the sectoral budgets and their revenues, citing examples of development projects implemented by government sectors in each of the country’s wilayas.

The minister also listed some of the development projects scheduled in 2025, noting that the budget is a tool that translates the country’s vision for the coming year within the framework of a programmatic approach that will be launched in the first months of the year. next year.

The Minister of Economy and Finance mentioned several anti-corruption bills, adding that rigor is the current phase in the implementation of State projects, a strategy set by the President of the Republic, Mr. Mohamed Ould Cheikh El-Ghazouani, based on the eradication of corruption in all its forms.

He stressed that the work carried out by the government is bearing fruit, noting that what the government is doing in a short time reflects the attention it pays to what the President of the Republic promised to citizens.

For their part, the deputies praised the initial finance bill for the year 2025, calling for improvement in the performance of financial execution and the creation of a logical balance in the financial plan. disbursement of the budget.

The deputies also expressed their hope to see the resources of the budget used to the best advantage, recalling that it faces many constraints which must be addressed, calling for the fight against corruption and the involvement of all in the fight against this, in accordance with the electoral program of the President of the Republic.

They also argued in favor of increasing salaries overall and also increasing pensions for retirees in order to contribute to strengthening the purchasing power of citizens. They called for increasing budget lines for service sectors, which are linked to the daily lives of citizens.