Mauritania: Conclusion and Recommendations

This report provides conclusions and policy recommendations for Mauritania's economic development, highlighting that while macroeconomic indicators are trending upwards, growth remains heavily dependent on the extractive sector and is hindered by poor infrastructure, governance issues, and climate risks. The author argues for a holistic development strategy focusing on climate resilience, governance, human capital, and economic diversification to achieve sustainable and inclusive growth.

• Mauritania's macroeconomic growth is currently driven by the extractive sector but is limited by systemic barriers including low-quality infrastructure, poor governance, low human capital quality, high electricity costs, and climate change risks. This growth pattern is often associated with poverty and inequality.
• The report identifies several strategic opportunities for Mauritania to enhance its economic potential, specifically its deposits of gold, iron, and gas, its potential to become a regional hub for hydrogen and solar energy, its geographic position for trade integration with neighbors, and a young population where approximately 40% of people are aged between 15 and 34.
• To strengthen climate resilience, the government is advised to implement sustainable management of natural resources, ensure equitable sharing of exploitation benefits, and manage oil and gas revenues transparently to fund social development and economic diversification.
• Improving governance and public finance is deemed essential for investment. Recommendations include simplifying the tax system, increasing transparency in the use of collected taxes, reducing corruption, and creating a more transparent judicial system to build confidence among citizens and investors.
• Long-term growth requires investment in human capital and infrastructure. This includes enhancing the 2020 education reform with a focus on gender, creating vocational training tailored to the job market, incentivizing research and development, and improving digital, airport, and road infrastructure.

APA

Tsopmo, P. C. (2026). Mauritania: Conclusion and Recommendations. Institute for Security Studies. https://futures.issafrica.org/geographic/guide.pdf?geography=MR&topic=05-conclusion

Chicago

Tsopmo, Pierre Christian. Mauritania: Conclusion and Recommendations. Institute for Security Studies, 2026. https://futures.issafrica.org/geographic/guide.pdf?geography=MR&topic=05-conclusion.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Tsopmo |first1=Pierre Christian |title=Mauritania: Conclusion and Recommendations |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=31 May 2026 |url=https://futures.issafrica.org/geographic/guide.pdf?geography=MR&topic=05-conclusion |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{tsopmo2026mauritania, author = {Tsopmo, Pierre Christian}, title = {{Mauritania: Conclusion and Recommendations}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2026}, month = may, url = {https://futures.issafrica.org/geographic/guide.pdf?geography=MR&topic=05-conclusion}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }