Facts and Figures
Population
4.6 million
Net Migration Rate
-0.3 migrants/ 1,000 population
Remittances
USD 168.7 million
Immigrants
3.9%

The Islamic Republic of Mauritania is a vast territory with more than 5,000 km of borders and with a long-standing tradition of migration and hospitality. Due to its geographical position, the country has become an important transit site for migratory movements, including for irregular migrants journeying to Europe. Controlling the vast maritime and land borders of Mauritania remains a major challenge for the state, as does the provision of assistance to migrants in its territory. Government authorities have expressed their request to IOM for support with migration management. In response, IOM developed a comprehensive approach designed to reinforce the capacities of the concerned government institutions in order to strengthen the border management capacities of the Mauritanian government. IOM has also developed projects seeking to enhance security in the Sahel region by reinforcing the development of joint border management capabilities in Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania and Niger.

IOM in Mauritania

Established in 2007, the IOM Mission in Mauritania collaborates with the Government of Mauritania and other partners in an effort to strengthen national migration management capacity and enhance support of migrants in the country. Moreover, since the outbreak of conflict in Northern Mali in 2012, IOM has supported host communities surrounding the M’bera refugee camp, as well as the Malian refugees fleeing armed conflict in their country. The IOM Mission in Mauritania is covered by the Regional Office for West and Central Africa and is part of the UN Country Team. The Mission’s main office is in Nouakchott and has an additional presence in Bassikounou.

Migration activities

Protection

Migrants' rights are at the heart of every IOM action in Mauritania, from support for the reform of legal texts on migration to the management of individual cases of vulnerable migrants. Through its protection actions, IOM aims in particular to assist and promote the rights of migrants to exercise their civil, political and socio-economic rights and to access basic services, and to strengthen the protection of migrant children.

Projects

  • Supporting the Development of Mauritanian Institutions to Address Trafficking in Persons and Improve Access to Justice for Survivors
    (September 2023 - August 2024)
    Donor: USA – International Narcotics and Law Enforcement)

    Budget: USD 479,049

    The project seeks to support Mauritanian authorities' efforts in combating human trafficking by enhancing the capabilities and resources of key stakeholders involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of such cases. It aims to support the effective implementation of the legal framework against human trafficking, fostering national and local coordination mechanisms. The project's broader objective is to improve the overall response to human trafficking in Mauritania by building the capacity of law enforcement officials, frontline actors, local government, and non-governmental stakeholders. This includes providing access to international experiences, conducting a review of the National Action Plan to Combat Trafficking in Persons (NAPCTIP), and supporting the implementation of legal and institutional reforms through enhanced coordination mechanisms and the provision of necessary equipment.

  • Reinforcing the capacity of the Mauritanian government to protect children on the move and victims of trafficking (VOT)
    (April 2023 - March 2025)
    Donor: UE (DG Home) and the Italian Government (Ministry of the interior) - RDPP Programme Nord Africa

    Budget: EUR 1,500,000

    Through this project, IOM and the EU are renewing their commitment to the Ministry of Social Action, Childhood and the Family to support the efforts of the Mauritanian authorities to protect migrant children by consolidating the transitional foster families initiative and building the capacity of the Child Protection and Social Integration Centers (CIPSE) to better manage child trafficking issues. The project will also assist child victims of trafficking and provide alternative protection measures for unaccompanied migrant children in Mauritania.

  • Strengthening government capacities for humane and sustainable migration management
    (October 2022 - August 2025)
    Donor: Africa Regional Migration Program (ARMP), funded by the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) of the United States Department of State

    Budget: USD 165,368 (for IOM Mauritania)

    In this project, IOM, with the support of the Regional Program for Migration in Africa, supports the Mauritanian government in promoting humane and legal migration. More specifically, the project works in collaboration with the Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training, the Ministry of the Civil Service and Labor and the Ministry of the Interior and Decentralization to create a clear framework for informing and accompanying migrants to improve their access to public services.

  • Program for the Protection, Return and Reintegration of Migrants in Sub-Saharan Africa (MPRRSSA)
    (August 2022-July 2024)
    Donor: European Union

    Budget: EUR 2,081,341 (for IOM Mauritania)

    The Regional Program for the Protection, Return and Reintegration of Migrants in Sub-Saharan Africa aims to protect the rights and dignity of migrants along the Atlantic/Western and Central Mediterranean migration routes. In Mauritania, IOM provides assistance to vulnerable migrants stranded along migratory routes, through the provision of direct food, shelter and medical aid. This project also enables the implementation of the assisted voluntary return program, a protection measure that offers a lasting solution to migrants in vulnerable situations who wish to return voluntarily to their countries of origin, but are unable to do so due to a lack of financial and/or legal means. The program also supports existing national and local coordination mechanisms and structures, to ensure consistency and optimization of stakeholders' expertise and activities, as well as the availability of referral options.
     

Resilience and community stabilization

Mauritania is affected by instability and insecurity in neighboring Mali, and by the general fragility of the Sahel region. In particular, the deteriorating security situation in Mali has led to the displacement of Mauritanian returnees and Malian refugees fleeing the conflict to Mauritania. This massive influx creates a risk of pressure on resources and conflicts between different communities, which is amplified by the intensification of climate change, and extreme weather phenomena, to which Mauritania is particularly vulnerable.
The resilience and community development axis aims to reconcile different fields of action by combining support for the reduction of natural risks and disasters with the promotion of community resilience toin the face of the risks they face. It also aims to improve living conditions for mobile populations and host communities.

Projects

  • Support the local capacity for climate change-related conflict and disaster prevention and management in Guidimakha
    (November 2022 - November 2024)
    Donor: UN Peacebuilding Fund (PBF)

    Budget: USD 1,106,000 (for IOM Mauritania)

    The joint project proposed by IOM, FAO and ILO intends to position itself as a pilot project to test a model for responding to conflicts exacerbated by the negative impacts of climate change at the local level. Thus, the project will aim to strengthen institutional and community-based capacities for the prevention and management of conflicts and disasters induced by the effects of climate change in the Wilaya of Guidimakha.
    To achieve this, the project aims to build the capacities of local authorities and communities in the prevention and management of conflicts that may be generated by the effects of climate change, as well as in preparedness to respond to the impacts of disasters and the management of risks linked to climate change in the Guidimakha region.

    Project actions will also support the improvement of local environmental governance by structuring and operationalizing mechanisms for exchange and dialogue between communes, village committees and populations; by strengthening local resilience, diversifying and reinforcing livelihoods and job creation, including for transhumant populations; and by supporting the fight against climate change and disaster risk reduction.

  • Strengthening National and Local Disaster Preparedness and Response Capacities in border areas and transhumance corridors in Hodh Ech Chargui region of Mauritania.
    (June 2022 - May 2024)
    Donor: Protection Civile et Aide Humanitaire de l’Union européenne (ECHO)

    Budget: EUR 1,500,000

    This project aims to ensure that Mauritanian authorities have enhanced capacities and a strengthened active cooperation mechanism, while the local communities in selected transhumance corridors have improved disaster preparedness capacity and are more climate resilient to anticipate, prevent, and rapidly respond to natural hazards/disasters and resource-related conflicts caused by new climate change phenomena.
    In order to strengthen national and local capacities in disaster risk reduction and preparedness, and enhance resilience among local communities in the face of natural disaster risks while foster effective coordination among national, local, and community stakeholders for a prompt and efficient response to emergencies, six intervention areas are planned:
    • Revision of the regional multi-risk contingency plan (2022-2023
    • Training sessions to operationalize the regional contingency plan, ensuring that stakeholders are well-equipped with the necessary skills.
    • Establishment of an early warning system (Arlet) to provide timely alerts and enable proactive responses.
    • Conducting simulation exercises to test and improve response mechanisms and coordination.
    • Hosting awareness sessions to raise awareness among local communities about disaster risks and preparedness measures.
    • Development of small-scale infrastructure to strengthen the resilience of communities and minimize the impact of disasters
       
  • Livelihood Enhancement Programme for Refugees, Migrants, and Host Communities in Hodh Chargui, Mauritania
    (September 2023 - August 2024)
    Donor: Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (BPRM)

    Budget: USD 900,000

    Given the current challenges (increasing insecurity, land degradation, drought, new arrivals...), the project aims to strengthen the climate resilience of refugees, migrants and host communities by providing sustainable solutions and responses to strengthen local livelihoods. This project therefore aims to strengthen the livelihoods of refugees in M'Bera Camp and promote diversified livelihoods to increase climate change resilience in Hodh Chargui for refugees, migrants and host communities. The activities planned under this project are:
    • Strengthening the livelihoods of refugees in the camp through the distribution of livestock, livestock feed and a vaccination campaign.
    • Diversifying the livelihoods of communities outside the camp (refugees, host communities, returnees) by promoting climate-smart agriculture, monitoring market gardening, building the capacity of women's cooperatives and constructing market gardening wells. 
    • Supporting the livestock sector and improving animal health through a mobile vaccination campaign outside the camp.

  • Emergency response and Assistance to Displaced populations
    (January 2024 - January 2025)
    Donor: The Government of Japan

    Budget: USD 646,912

    This project will contribute to meeting the urgent humanitarian needs of returnees and host communities, as well as promoting social cohesion and peaceful coexistence in the Hodh Chargui and Guidimakha regions.Interventions will focus on two main areas i) Providing humanitarian assistance to returnees and host communities to meet their urgent needs and improve their living conditions ii) Supporting local authorities and communities to better respond to emergencies, including disaster risks. To achieve the above objectives, the following activities are planned as part of the project:

    • Distribution of non-food kits to 1000 Mauritanian returnees
    • Construction of a drinking water supply network in Hodh Chargui
    • Creation and revitalization of 10 villages committees in the two regions
    • Revision of the Guidimakha regional contingency plan 
    • Organization of training sessions on the contingency plan
    • Construction of four ponds (two in each region)
       

Governance

To support the Mauritanian authorities in strengthening migration governance to ensure orderly and safe migration management, while respecting the rights of migrants and taking into account the socio-economic needs of communities, IOM is undertaking various actions to support integrated border management, promote the positive contribution of the diaspora, collect essential migration data and provide legislative and strategic support to the government.

Projects

  • Promote inclusive cross-border governance and strengthening the resilience of populations in the border areas of Mauritania and Senegal
    (July 2023 - July 2025)
    Donor: UN Peacebuilding Fund (PBF)

    Budget: USD 920,000 (for IOM Mauritania)

    The cross-border project between Mauritania and Senegal, jointly implemented by IOM and UNODC, is in line with the national priorities of both States, the United Nations' national cooperation frameworks, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the United Nations Integrated Strategy for the Sahel (SINUS), the African Strategy for Border Governance and other regional border management strategies. Mauritania and Senegal are considered as examples to follow in terms of stability in a region facing major security challenges. 
    The project aims to mitigate security risks and promote social cohesion in the border areas of Mauritania and Senegal. It targets the borders of these two countries, which do not benefit from large-scale conflict prevention and peacebuilding programs, despite the existence of numerous factors of fragility and conflict threatening security, stability and peace in the region. To achieve these objectives, the project is structured around three strategic axes:

    • Strengthening cross-border governance to guarantee border security and prevent illicit cross-border trafficking;
    • Confidence-building between border populations and authorities, and between cross-border communities, with a view to consolidating social cohesion and reducing tensions in the border areas of Mauritania and Senegal;
    • Strengthening the resilience of populations through access to basic social services, and empowering young people by building their capacity to prevent transnational organized crime. 

  • Fostering the inclusion of migrants in the social protection system
    (December 2023 - December 2025)
    Donor: IOM Development Fund

    Budget: USD 300,000

    The project aims to promote the inclusion of migrants in the social protection system in Mauritania. The project will therefore help the Mauritanian authorities to develop an evidence-based social protection system that is inclusive of migrants. It will also enable the Mauritanian authorities and their civil society partners to better assist migrants and facilitate their access to social protection services. The project will support the government through the following activities:

    • Provide support to the Mauritanian government in mapping out a sustainable path to the inclusion of migrants in the social protection system
    • Strengthen the institutional capacity to provide information and access to social protection services for migrants
    • Develop a comprehensive mapping of migrants' social protection needs, existing social programmes and policy frameworks, and best practices, taking into account gender aspects.
    • Draw up a technical roadmap for the inclusion of migrants in the social protection system in Mauritania, paying particular attention to gender aspects and vulnerable groups such as people with disabilities and unaccompanied minors.
    • To provide Mauritanian authorities with training and technical assistance to enable them to integrate migrants into social protection programmes and services, using a gender-sensitive approach.
       
  • Strengthening local labour migration management in Chami, with a focus on access to health resources and protection services
    (November 2022 - October 2024)
    Donor: IOM Development Fund

    Budget: USD 300,000

    IOM, under the funding of IOM Development fund (IDF), is implementing a project in Chami with the objective to contribute to strengthening local labour migration management in Chami, with a focus on access to health resources and protection services.

    This project will contribute to strengthening local labour migration management in Chami, with a focus on access to health resources and protection services. This will be achieved through the generation and availability of accurate data on migration in Chami, studies on public health and labour migration as well as roundtables with several counterparts on migration that will help to establish guidelines for a better labour migration management.
     
  • Access to information on the risks of migration and economic opportunities for young Mauritanians and migrants in Mauritania
    (November 2023 - November 2026)
    Donor: European Union (Flexible Mechanism)

    Budget: EUR 1,750,000

    This project is part of the "Réussir Ensemble en Mauritanie" (REM) - Succeeding Together in Mauritania - programme financed by the European Union's Flexible Mechanism and is implemented jointly by AFD, GIZ and IOM. The project aims to support existing efforts of Mauritanian authorities in mitigating irregular migration of its residents, focusing mainly on the youth and migrants in its territory, building their resilience to access employment opportunities and providing better information on the risks of irregular migration and the opportunities linked to regular migration. The activities planned under this project mainly include: research into migration and the perception of migration in Mauritania; awareness-raising and information campaigns aimed at migrants and young Mauritanians exposed to irregular migration; social cohesion activities bringing together host communities and migrant communities, reinforcing capacity and engaging the support of civil society organizations; capacity-building for diplomatic missions; and support for the development of mechanisms for validating prior learning or recognizing the skills and qualifications of migrants in Mauritania.
     
  • Strengthening migration governance in Mauritania and supporting the implementation of the Action Plan for the National Migration Management Strategy
    (November 2023 - November 2026)
    Donor: European Union (NDICI)

    Budget: EUR 4,500,000

    The project, which runs until November 2026, aims to support the Mauritanian government in implementing the National Migration Management Strategy (SNGM) and its Action Plan for better governance of migration. The project covers all aspects of the SNGM, in particular:
    • Reform of the legal and institutional framework and alignment with international conventions
    • Collection and analysis of migration data
    • Integrated border management
    • Promotion of the fundamental rights of returnees and migrants
    • Migration and development

      The project covers most of the activities in the SNGM Action Plan, in particular the priorities identified by Ministry of Interior and Decentralization and other migration stakeholders at a strategic prioritization workshop held on 17 July 2023.
       
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Contact information

International Organization for Migration (IOM)
Lot 551 E Nord Tevragh Zeina
Nouakchott
Mauritania

Telefax: +222 45 24 40 81
E-mail: iomnouakchott@iom.int


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