RESTRICTED  
  
WT/TPR/G/371  
24 April 2018 
(18-2541) Page: 1/8 
Trade Policy Review Body  Original:  French  
 
  
TRADE POLICY REVIEW  
REPORT BY  
MAURITANIA  
Pursuant to the Agreement Establishing the Trade Policy Review Mechanism (Annex 3 of the 
Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization), the policy statement by 
Mauritania is attached.  
 
 
Note: This report is subject to restricted circulation and press embargo until the end of the 
first meeting of the Trade Policy Review Body on Mauritania.  WT/TPR/G/371 • Mauritania  
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  CONTENTS  
1  OVERVIEW  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................  3 
2  ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT  ................................ ................................ ...........................  3 
2.1  Main features of the economy  ................................ ................................ ........................  3 
3  INVESTMENT AND THE BUSINESS CLIMATE  ................................ ................................ . 4 
4  ECONOMIC AND MONETARY POLICY  ................................ ................................ ............  4 
5  SECTORAL POLICIES  ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 4 
5.1  Mining  ................................ ................................ ................................ .........................  5 
5.2  Fisheries ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................  5 
5.3  Agriculture and livestock  ................................ ................................ ...............................  5 
5.4  Tourism  ................................ ................................ ................................ .......................  6 
5.5  Telecommunications  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 7 
5.6  Transport  ................................ ................................ ................................ ....................  7 
6  TRADE INTEGRATION  ................................ ................................ ................................ ... 7 
 
 
  WT/TPR/G/371 • Mauritania  
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  1  OVERVIEW  
1.1.  The Islamic Republic of Mauritania is a vast country , measuring 1,031,000 km2, at the 
crossroads of North Africa and sub-Saharan Africa . Its territory is 80 % desert an d sparsely 
populated at around three  inhabitants per square kilometre, with a total population numbering 
around  4 million  (2013) . The census -to-census growth rate is 2. 77% (1988 -2013); the annual rate 
of demographic growth  is approximately 3 %; life expectancy is 56.6 years ; and the literacy rate 
among adults (those over 15  years old) is 55.8 %. 
1.2.  The country has considerable natural resource s, including  iron ore , gold and copper, small 
quantities of offshore oil , and a coastline measuring close to 800 km that has some of the richest 
fishing grounds in the world . Mauritania is irrigated to the sou th by the waters of the 
Senegal  River; extensive livestock farming, and irrigated and rain -fed crops are the traditional 
occupations of the rural population . However , the Mauritanian economy is highly vulnerable to 
exogenous shocks and the increasingly obvious effects of climate change.  
1.3.  As the end -dates of the MDGs and the  Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) for the 
period 2001 -2015 approached, a debate on a new outlook going beyond that date  was undertaken 
at national level . The principal challenges post -2015, namely challenges in the development of 
human capital , governance, poverty reduction , social cohesion and citizenship, economic growth, 
sustainable development and environmental protection, were identified with a view to drawing up 
a future vision for 2030 . The result was the adoption of an ambitious development s trategy for the 
period 2016 -2030, the Accelerated Growth and Shared Prosperity Strategy (SCAPP), with a view to 
consolidating gains in poverty reduction.  
1.4.   The Government 's overall policy is structured around three major strategic pillars : 
strengthening the  foundations of the State and improving public governance ; constructing a 
competitive economy that generates growth ; and developing human resources and widening 
access to basic services . 
1.5.  Between 2015 and 2017, 71  finance agreements were signed with a total  value  in excess of 
55.2 billion new ouguiyas, including 24 agreements for 2017 alone for a sum totalling 
29.2 billion  new ouguiyas . This significant funding was allocated to implementing pri ority 
programmes and projects to create conditions conducive to i nclusive, sustainable growth through 
investment in the following sectors : energy, transport, livestock farming, fisheries, agriculture, 
food security, social protection, governance and the environment . 
2  ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT  
2.1  Main features of the economy  
2.1.  Gross national income per inhabitant was estimated at US$1 ,270 in current dollar terms in 
2014 (World Bank) . Over the last 16  years (2000 -2015) growth has fluctuated sharply . The 
national accounts (2014) show that the tertiary sector (39 % of current GDP) domin ates in 
comparison to the secondary (33.6 %) and primary (21.6 %) sectors . The share of extractive 
industries rose from 12.2 % in 2006 to  25.2% in 2013, and then  dropped to  17.2% in 2014.  
2.2.  An economic upswing noted in 2017  should be reflected in real GDP growt h of 3.1 %, with an 
average rate of  2.8% for the period 2014 -2017. 
2.3.  The tertiary sector is heavily reliant on transport, telecommunications, commerce and 
government departments . The sector has been the largest area of economic activity over the last 
few years, a period which has seen a gradual economic shift towards the service sector . 
2.4.  Despite its role in driving recent growth, the secondary sector has shrunk as a result of the 
poor performance of the oil industry since 2007 and the weak performance of th e construction and 
public works subsector.  WT/TPR/G/371 • Mauritania  
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  2.5.  The primary sector (rural sector) upon w hich more than 60 % of the population relies has 
contributed the least to overall growth over the period (0.6 of a percentage point ) as a result of 
low rainfall and the poor integration of the livestock and fisheries subsectors into the economy 
despite the key role they play in food security . 
2.6.  Although productivity is poor and the economy is uncompetitive, growth between 2010 and 
2014 was strong, but it was not inclusive enough . The extractive industries (ir on ore , gold and 
copper), which play a key role in driving the economy , generate d less than 2.5 % of employment 
(2013).  
3  INVESTMENT AND THE BUSINESS CLIMATE  
3.1.  The w ork accomplished  in the investment area is reflected in the devel opment of institutional 
tools and mechanisms for planning and programming public investment . As a result , an 
institutional framework for formulating, selecting and programming public investment was put in 
place. The Public Investment Programme (PIP) for 2018-2030 is one of the Government 's priorities 
in the SCAPP . 
3.2.  This work  will continue in 2018 , when 26.65  billion new ouguiyas will be allocated to 
investment, including 12.15  billion new ouguiyas from the State 's own resources . As a result, 
investment is the largest item on the State budget , with a  projected share of  40.2% in 2018.  
3.3.  Considerable work has been done to improve the business environment in Mauritania , in the 
form of the adoption of a code of property rights ; the implementation of the Doing Busi ness 
roadmap ; the implementation of a business creation process that complies with international 
standards ; improvement in the processing of applications for accreditation under  the preferential  
regimes set out in the investment code ; and the adoption of t he law on public -private partnerships 
and its implementing decrees . 
3.4.  These major reforms have pushed the country rapidly up the Doing Business  rankings, where 
it has gained 26  places in just three years (2014 -2017), including 10 in 2017 alone.  
4  ECONOMIC AND MONETARY POLICY  
4.1.  Since 2014 efforts have focused on reducing the negative impact on the national economy of 
the fall in raw iron  prices . Action was taken to maintain the major macroeconomic balances , 
combat inflation , encourage private investment , increase public investment , improve the terms of 
trade , and accelerate investment in the extractive sector.  
4.2.  For the purposes of macroeconomic and financial stability, monetary and exchange -rate 
policy between 2015 and 2017 focused on controlling inflation , strengthening the external position , 
and the stability of the financial sector . As a result , inflation averaged 1.5 % over that period . 
4.3.  The Government 's exchange -rate policy focused on protecting external competitiveness , thus 
allowing the country to enha nce its resilience to exogenous shocks resulting from  the ongoing 
weakness in commodity  prices . The foreign exchange reserves were satisfactory at end -2017.  
4.4.  Action was taken in the financial sector  to enhance financial oversight ; consolidate the 
stability of the financial system ; develop the banking system to promote financial inclusion ; and 
increase priv ate sector credit, which grew at  an average rate of 10 % between 2015 and 2017.  
5  SECTORAL POLICIES  
5.1.  More effective sectoral policies have been implemented und er the PRSP action plan and 
SCAPP in an effort to unleash  the growth potential in the leading sectors of the economy and reap 
the greatest economic and social benefit by making the most effective sustainable use of the 
resources and potential inherent in t he production and services sectors.  WT/TPR/G/371 • Mauritania  
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  5.1  Mining  
5.2.  The Government 's chief focus was  to continue efforts to bolster the role of this important 
export sector as a vehicle for economic growth and poverty reduction.  
5.3.  The main achievements in the mining sector related t o: 
i. continued promotion of geological and mineral potential : launch of two exploration 
campaigns in 2017;  
ii. improvements to the legal and regulatory framework, including revision of the Mining 
Code in 2012 and the introduction in 2014 of significant improvements to mining 
agreements , raising the State 's profit share in mining projects for the first time  from 
10% to 20%; 
iii. launch of two licensing campaigns for gold panning;  
iv. improved management of the mining register;  
v. ongoing formulation of a new mining s trategy ; and 
vi. enhancement of the control and monitoring mec hanism and stepping up of inspection 
operations . 
5.2  Fisheries  
5.4.  Fisheries is an important export sector that contributes around 20 % of government 
revenue,  provides 60,000  jobs in all and in 2017 involved  investment amounting to over 
700 million new ouguiyas . The sector should also play a leading role in combating food insecurity.  
5.5.  In view of its importance, the Government has adopted a fisheries policy aimed at protecting 
fisheries resources and integratin g them into the framework o f national development 
strategy  objectives.  
5.6.  The overall objectives in the fisheries sector are as follows : (i) optimizing  management and 
sustainable revenue,  and (ii) fuller integration of the sector into the economy in order to maximize 
the socio -economic benefits of all fisheries subsectors,  
5.7.  In order to attain these objectives , the Government 's efforts are focused on implementing the 
priority programmes and reforms set out in the National Responsible Management Strategy for the 
sustainable development of fisheries and the maritime economy 2015 -2019.  
5.8.  The action taken included:  
i. development of  small pelagic fish processing;  
ii. enhancement and improvement of research and quality control systems;  
iii. increased controls and inspections by the Coastguard  to protect the exclusive 
economic zone from the risk of illegal fishing and all forms of smuggling;  
iv. professional ization and modernization of  small -scale fishing through surveys, training 
and use of secure cards for access to maritime occupations.  
5.3  Agriculture and livestock  
5.9.  The long-term overall  objective  for agriculture  is to make it modern, productive and 
competitive in national, regional and international markets.  WT/TPR/G/371 • Mauritania  
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  5.10.   Agricultural development is a predominant concern  in government action because of the  
sector 's importance for economic and social development and its impact on the country 's 
food security.  
5.11.   This priority  is reflected in the implementation of a strategy to increase arable land, control 
water, build farmers ' skills and introduce  sustainable financing mechanisms.  
5.12.   The actions taken in order to optimize the country 's agricultural potential include 
the following : 
i. project s to develop, rehabilitate and improve the drainage and irrigation system;  
ii. increased financing  allocated to agricul tural credit specifically for rice ( loans 
amounting to 330  million new ouguiyas between 2015 and 2017);  
iii. agricultural diversification through the development and exploitation of new acreage 
for market gardening.  
5.13.   The objective in the livestock subsector is t o integrate it more closely into the economy, 
while at the same time bolstering the strategic role it plays in relation to food security and 
poverty  reduction . 
5.14.   Emphasis has been placed  on developing this vital sector, modernizing it and integrating it 
into the national economy . A review of the legal framework governing the sector resulted in the 
adoption of far-reaching reforms and the implementation of an ambitious strategy  which, 
accompanied by a national action plan and a medium -term expenditure framework , should attain  
the targets set.  
5.15.   The efforts have fo cused on : 
i. modernization of technical and support infrastructure;  
ii. the introduction  of veterinary control offices at border posts, leading to an increase 
in controls o n animal products before they are brought into the country and to 
enhanced control s on slaughter throughout the national territory;  
iii. signature of several agreements with investors in the dairy and meat industries;  
iv. establishment of an annual cattle vaccination campaign for various diseas es; 
v. veterinary capacity -building through the development of research, outreach and 
support services;  
vi. improved planning and programming through the introduction of an integrated herd 
information system and the establishment of sanitary and organizational st andards 
for operations to produce and market products of animal origin.  
5.4  Tourism  
5.16.   From its geographical location, the diversity of its landscape and its rich cultural and natural 
heritage, Mauritania has real tourism potential . The Government has therefore focused its efforts 
on designing a holistic approach to the development of the tourism sector in order to improve its 
competitiveness and ensure that it becomes an integral part of  the fabric of the national economy . 
A new national tourism strategy was draw n up along these lines in 2017.  WT/TPR/G/371 • Mauritania  
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  5.5  Telecommunications  
5.17.   Government actions in the telecommunications field have addressed:  
i. the development of telecommunications infrastructures : significant extension of 
internet and telephone networks throughout the national te rritory;  
ii. enhancement of the regulatory and institutional framework : establishment of the 
legal framework for the Mauritanian information society and the enactment of most 
of the legislation in that regard ; this will make it possible to establish a data 
protection authority for personal data, an electronic certification authority , and 
electronic certification service providers;  
iii. promotion of competition and high -quality services.  
5.18.   The programme for the next two years includes  the following priority actions:  
i. Construct ion of  stretches of the national fibre-optic broadband network 
(Warcip  Mauritania Project);  
ii. modernization  of the Government 's internet portals;  
iii. develop ment of  online services;  
iv. setting up of an internet monitoring centre to improve the country 's internet 
security;  
v. capacity -building to develop the digital economy;  
vi. develop ing tele-medicine and remote learning projects in order to provide more ICT 
support for the health and education systems ; and 
vii. develop ing postal services to cover all regions of the  country.  
5.6  Transport  
5.19.   The infrastructure sector is an important aspect of development . It is a factor in both 
economic development and the reduction of regional disparities and therefore encourages 
international trade as well as regional integration . Moreove r, the sector is covered by the strategic 
pillars set out in SCAPP . The policy implemented by the Government in this area aims to carry out  
a wide-ranging , ambitious , modern programme to develop and maintain modern structural 
infrastructure that meets the country 's economic development, environmental and social needs.  
5.20.   The general objectives set by the programme for the transport sector are that it should  
contribute to : (i) developing  national and regional trade ; (ii) bringing down  production costs ; 
(iii) strengthening the natio nal economy ; and (iv) integrating  rural or poor, remote areas . 
Accordingly work has focused  on activities that will improve the national road network, increase 
port capacity and boost the air fleet.  
6  TRADE INTEGRATION  
6.1.  Mauritania has emb arked upon a process of institutional and structural reform designed to 
promote  the emergence of a prosperous, competitive economy . The reforms set out in the SCAPP 
include most of the recommendations in the Diagnostic Trade Integration Study (DTIS).  
6.2.  The DTIS was updated in 2016 under the title : "De rentes à court terme vers une croissance 
macroéconomique et un développement durable fondé sur l 'exportation " [From short -term 
resource rents  towards export -based macroeconomic growth and sustainable developmen t]. WT/TPR/G/371 • Mauritania  
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  6.3.  There are three main messages in the DTIS update : (i) Mauritania should build on its recent 
macroeconomic progress to break away from its current economic model, which is based on 
unsustainable revenue from  the country 's national resources , and make a shift towards a strategy 
for inclusive green growth ; (ii) fisheries, agriculture and services, including ICT and tourism, offer 
opportunities for sustainable diversification ; (iii) profound changes in governance will be necessary 
in order to lift the main constraints on diversification and growth.  
6.4.  In addition to trade facilitation, the updated DTIS also identified the key factors that 
hamstring efforts to match the supply of goods and services to international demand in 
four sectors with strong potential fo r accelerating growth and reducing poverty : fisheries, 
agriculture  and livestock, tourism , and ICT.  
6.5.  Accordingly a revised global action matrix has been designed  that will : (i) make the updated 
DTIS the  catalyst for a national competitiveness strategy ; (ii) build on trade in order to achieve 
sustainable growth ; (iii) facilitate trade ; (iv) generate local added value in fisheries  and promote 
the agricultural and livestock sector ; and (v) clear the way to a revival of tourism.  
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