Context
Mauritania is one of the poorest and least developed countries in the world. Despite its relative resource wealth, it ranked 164 out of 192 countries in the 2024 Human Development Index. In terms of per capita income, the country ranked just 169th.
This is mainly the result of corruption, weak institutions, inefficient administration and a lack of transparent decision-making.
Objective
The Mauritanian Government is increasingly prioritising decentralisation as a key tool for the country’s development.
Approach
The project is helping those responsible for decentralisation to create stronger state institutions at local and regional level. The aim is to gradually transfer responsibility for central government services, such as the preparation of documents, to municipalities and regions so that development is managed in a decentralised way and is focused on the needs of the local population.
The project is advising the Secretary General of the Ministry of Interior and Decentralization and Local Development on managing the process. It is also advising the new Ministry of Decentralisation on improving communications in order to give higher priority to decentralisation in Mauritania. Moreover, the Ministry of Finance is being equipped with tools to help improve management and monitoring of municipal budgets. The project is additionally supporting the Ministry’s efforts to implement important reforms in the area of municipal taxes.
Furthermore, the project is advising selected partner municipalities and regions on improving efficiency and transparency in the budget process, increasing citizen engagement and ensuring that development in their region is more aligned with the needs of the population.
Last update: May 2025