Coronavirus: Mauritania authorities close large mobile phone market

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Text by: RFI Follow

In Mauritania, the authorities are increasing the number of closings. The largest mobile phone market in the country was closed on Friday evening. The Mauritanian government cites its fight against the spread of the coronavirus to justify this decision. The disease has already affected two people, expatriates working in the country.

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with our correspondent in Nouakchott, Salem Mejbour

The government had already closed schools and universities, its airspace to commercial flights and reduced the crossing points from its land borders from 34 to 26. He also closed his border with Senegal on Saturday evening. Heavy goods trucks for the transport of goods are exempt from this closure. A decision taken by mutual agreement between the two heads of state.

Again on Saturday, the redevelopment of the curfew was announced. It now starts at 6 p.m. local time instead of 8 p.m.

The closure of the specialized mobile phone market is therefore in addition to these measures and it is a blow for the small resellers of mobile phone recharge cards, but also for thousands of young people who live by selling or reselling devices mobile phones, new or second hand.

Generally very lively, hence its nickname "hot spot", the market is crisscrossed by the police. A surprise for sellers and buyers.

" The government must compensate us," said Ahmed Baba, a dealer and repairer of used mobile phones. Cheibany, a reseller of phone recharge cards, calls for the reopening of the market, but with a reduced staff per shop. “ We are usually one to two people in a shop. The client arrives. He buys and leaves. We don't touch each other. It doesn't contaminate either . ”

Cheibany and the other traders in this market hope for a rapid resumption of activities.

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• Coronavirus
• Mauritania
• Telecom