[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 109 (Tuesday, August 9, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 9, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
           CONGRATULATIONS TO AMBASSADOR MOHAMED FALL AININA

                                 ______


                          HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, August 9, 1994

  Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to bring to the Members of the 
House a joint success story for the United States of America and for 
the Republic Mauritania in northwest Africa.
  In 1980 the African American Institute sponsored a graduate student 
from the Republic of Mauritania at Ball State University in Muncie, IN 
to do graduate work for the master's degree in business administration. 
That graduate student--Mohamed Fall Ainina--not only completed his 
M.B.A. but went on to Arizona State University to complete his Ph.D. in 
finance. While at Arizona State, he worked as a computer programmer for 
the college of business, and was a teaching assistant in the field of 
finance, real estate, and insurance.
  Mr. Speaker, that graduate student--Dr. Mohamed Fall Ainina--is now 
the Mauritanian Ambassador to the UnIted States. If ever there was a 
case where foreign assistance worked to the benefit of both the donor 
country--the United States, and the recipient country--Mauritania is 
that example.
  But there is more to this story. Mohamed Fall Ainina was born in the 
town of Atar, Mauritania. He attended the Lycee de Nouakchott where he 
completed work in the baccalaureate sciences in 1973. He then attended 
the University of Tunis, Tunisia where he received the diplome de 
hautes etudes commerciales, in 1977. In 1982, he went to Guadalajara to 
learn Spanish. After completing work on his Ph.D., he was offered 
several positions but went to Dayton, OH, where he served as professor 
of finance at Wright State University from 1986 to 1991. While at 
Wright State University, he co-authored a book: ``Managerial Finance 
for Use with Lotus 123.'' He has written over a dozen articles on 
managerial finance, financial planning, taxation, investment, and the 
Occupational Safety and Health Administration. He presented papers for 
and participated in, more than a dozen conferences while at Wright 
State University.
  In July 1991, he was called back to Mauritania where he became 
adviser to the President of Mauritania until February 1992. On April 2, 
1992, he presented his credentials as Mauritania's Ambassador to the 
United States. He is fluent in serial language including French, 
Arabic, English, and Spanish.
  Mr. Speaker, because education is his first interest, Dr. Ainina is 
returning to the classroom at Wright State University this fall. While 
his department will be a great loss to the ambassadorial corps in 
Washington, DC, he will make a significant contribution to the field of 
finance at Wright State University.
  During his tenure as Ambassador, he made significant contributions to 
developing closer ties between the United States and Mauritania. He has 
spent a considerable amount of his time meeting with Senators, Members 
of the House, the U.S. administration and other Government officials to 
explain Mauritania's position on matters of mutual interest. He has 
engaged the human rights community in a productive dialog.
  He participated in negotiations between Mauritania, and the World 
Bank and other financial institutions. He was very active as a member 
of the African Ambassadors Group. He was elected chairman of the 
economic committee of that organization. He has opened intensive dialog 
with Government bodies, donor and nongovernmental organizations, and 
banking institutions with economic decisionmaking power to determine 
what can be done to assure economic development and financial security 
for Africa.
  In 1992 and 1993, Ambassador Ainina held a series of discussions with 
staff and Members of both the House and the Senate, and with the 
Department of State to create a better understanding of the problem in 
Mauritania. He was always accessible to answer questions on any subject 
pertaining to Mauritania.
  Ambassador Ainina developed a close working relationship with Africa, 
World Vision, and other NGO's and he stayed in touch with his student 
sponsor, the African-American Institute. He was instrumental in 
promoting business between Africa and the United States through his 
work with the U.S. Africa Chamber of Commerce in New York, by speaking 
at various conferences on economic and political problems in Africa, 
and through his attendance and active involvement in the African 
African-American Summit at Libreville, Gabon in 1993.
  Our former colleague, Congressman Mervyn M. Dymally, chair of the 
Subcommittee on Africa, has this to say of him recently:

       Ambassador Ainina had the unique qualification of knowing 
     both his country Mauritania, and his host country, the United 
     States. He is a person who was always willing to listen and 
     attempt to explain situations and reconcile differences. As a 
     Member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, I found him to be 
     a person of profound intellect, as well as a warm and highly 
     valued friend.

  Mr. Speaker, as the Ambassador leaves to return to the classroom, I 
want to join with his friends and his colleagues in the Ambassadorial 
Corp in wishing him well in his new assignment.

                          ____________________