Mauritania is a West African country which borders the Atlantic Ocean to the west and Western Sahara to the north and northwest. Approximately 90% of its landmass is located within the Sahara Desert.
Our partnership
The EU and Mauritania share an excellent partnership, as evidenced by the quality of the political dialogue and the EU’s significant investment in the country.
The President of the European Commission von der Leyen visited Nouakchott together with the Prime Minister of Spain Sanchez in February 2024.
Team Europe in Mauritania brings together the EU, the European Investment Bank, France, Germany, and Spain.
In our current ongoing cooperation, we share many common interests, ranging from the accelerated green transition to regional stability in West Africa and in the Sahel, and orderly migration management.
The EU supports Mauritania towards sustainable and inclusive development in line with the ’Strategy for Accelerated Growth and Shared Prosperity‘ - the Mauritania roadmap 2016-2030 and the Global Gateway Strategy.
Under the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI-Global Europe) the EU allocated €125 million to the partnership with Mauritania over 2021-24. In the decade 2014-2024, the EU has been allocating to Mauritania over €1 billion. This includes the EU-Mauritania Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement – the most important for a partner country.
Multiannual Indicative Programme 2021-2027 for Mauritania - annex (French)
Annual action plan 2023 for Mauritania (French)
Annual action plan 2022 for Mauritania (French)
Our flagship initiatives
- Green Transition
Mauritania has large-scale development potential on renewable sources of energy, and the green hydrogen sector is very promising. Team Europe is supporting Mauritania to deliver universal electricity access to its citizens and achieve its vision for sustainable economic development.
- Green Hydrogen – A dedicated Team Europe Initiative aims to support the country in developing its green hydrogen potential. The support is 360-degree. It includes actions on governance such as the drawing up of the Hydrogen Code, actions on infrastructure to facilitate transport, such as a feasibility study for a new road between Nouakchott and Nouadhibou, and actions on vocational training to develop relevant skills.
- Electrification – Among the many actions, Team Europe is supporting a 1,400 km high voltage power transmission line from Nouakchott to Nema, rural electrification, and a solar power plant in Kiffa. This would allow electricity to reach the population that is still not benefiting from the electrification network.
- Sustainable food systems – Team Europe works to rehabilitate and expand rural infrastructure and to develop promising value chains - market gardening, local cereals, and dairy.
- Digital
In the past decade Mauritania has been advancing fast to expand broadband networks and to offer digital public services to its population. Team Europe is supporting these efforts:
- Submarine cable – working to connect Mauritania with a new submarine cable. This will provide a back-up solution to the current single submarine cable (African Coast to Europe - ACE) and will provide additional data capacity to cope with the growing volume of traffic, for both Mauritania and its landlocked neighbours.
- Data centre – supporting a new digital data centre in Nouakchott that will strengthen Mauritania’s digital sovereignty and reinforce the country’s security standards for exchange of digital data.
- Blue economy
The EU-Mauritania partnership promotes the blue economy in the country by contributing to the improvement of ocean and coastline governance, by protecting marine ecosystems through eco-friendly fishing, and by strengthening fisheries value chains with the construction of land and seaport infrastructure.
- Sustainable Fisheries partnership agreement – the largest between the EU and a third country. In line with the EU's fisheries policy, the protocol contributes to responsible fishing and the sustainable management of fisheries resources. It seeks to minimise fishing impacts on marine ecosystems and respects the activities of the Mauritanian coastal and artisanal fleets.
- Expansion of maritime infrastructure – and creating integrated development hubs with terrestrial infrastructure already built, like the landing facilities at M'Heijratt and PK93 sites, in the central and southern areas of the Mauritanian coast.
- Migration and forced displacement
Mauritania hosts over 150 000 persons displaced from Mali and is increasingly a transit country for irregular migration along the route towards the Canary Islands. It is a key partner for Team Europe on migration, and a Joint Declaration adopted in March 2024 sets the stage for a comprehensive cooperation.
- Root causes of migration – supporting skills and jobs opportunities for youth.
- Forced displacement – providing access to international protection, social services, and reinforcing the reception capacities of Mauritanian authorities.
- Border and migration management – strengthening Mauritania’s capacity to manage its borders and fight migrant smuggling and trafficking.
- Peace and security
The situation in the Sahel is challenging and Mauritania plays a vital role for the stability in the region. Team Europe is providing support to its security forces.
- Collège de Défense in Nouakchott – providing education to senior military officers for the academic years 2023 to 2025.
- Military infrastructure – reinforcing the military camp of N’Bekeit, in the Eastern part of the country.
- Military equipment – providing non-lethal equipment for battalions to fight terrorism and secure the border with Mali.
- Human Development
Team Europe promotes social cohesion and socio-economic development by supporting quality health and education and vocational training services.
- Education – supporting the national education plan, access and quality of education, and the socio-professional inclusion of young people.
- Health – supporting universal access to health, and maternal health.