Mauritania’s former President, Ely Ould Mohamed Vall, accepted last June to become a member of the Fondation Chirac. Here below, he explains his commitment and his perception of the Fondation.

You met Jacques Chirac at the Africa-France Summit in Bamako in 2005. What was the context at the time?
Mauritania was going through a period of political transition and President Chirac fully supported the democratization process. The mutual confidence that has developed between us ever since is the basis for the respect and deep friendship Mauritanians and I have for him.

You are part of his Fondation’s Honor Committee. Why have you signed on with him?
After leading Mauritania’s democratization process and the 2007 elections, I immediately accepted to work alongside Jacques Chirac in his Fondation. I did not hesitate for even an instant and his views correspond to my own ideals.

Do you share his analysis on the need for better balance within the international community?
It is undeniable that Jacques Chirac’s ideas, the founding force for his efforts, express a world reality. His thoughts on sharing natural and cultural resources and on dialogue are key elements in resolving conflicts today and in the future.

There can be no peace without dialogue for peace presupposes that all interested people can come together and discus with each other. These ideas deserve to be defended and repeated as much as possible.

What can the Fondation Chirac do?
It has several possible paths. One of the most promising is its will to promote more balanced and peaceful international relations that promote better understanding between everyone. The Fondation also works on highly concrete projects, achieving its goals through practical programs that help individuals and alleviate their suffering.

Poor and developing countries will be the hardest hit by the economic crisis. What can the international community do for them?
In today’s world, all countries are interdependent. There can be no security, nor development, nor stability in these countries if they are not included in international programs. This is why the international community must become a driving force at all levels. This can only be achieved thanks to a new conception of international relations.

For example, the G-20 must include these countries in its planning process. As Jacques Chirac has said, the world needs more balanced international relations. For this, we must reform large institutions such as the United Nations or perhaps even create others, more adapted to our current reality.