• Crisis Severity ?
    2.8
    0 Very low
    Very high 5
  • Impact ?
    3.4
    0 Very low
    Very high 5
  • Humanitarian Conditions ?
    2.9
    0 Very low
    Very high 5
  • Complexity ?
    2.2
    0 Very low
    Very high 5
  • Access Constraints ?
    1.0
    No constraints
    Extreme constraints
See all indicators

Key figures

  • 4,532,000 People affected [?]
  • 476,000 People in Need [?]
  • 476,000 Moderate humanitarian conditions - Level 3 [?]
  • 0 Severe humanitarian conditions - Level 4 [?]

Overview

19/01/2022

Mauritania is vulnerable to natural hazards such as droughts and flooding, which cause malnutrition, disrupted livelihoods, and food insecurity. The country is also facing the dire consequences of climate change. The majority of the population relies on traditional agriculture and livestock farming and is heavily dependent on the rainy seasons.? 

The land in Mauritania is mainly desert; only about 0.5% is arable land. Climate change led to population displacement in the Sahel, but there is no information of similar phenomena in Mauritania. Over 22% of people live in poverty, and 9.8% of children are facing acute malnutrition.? 

Inflation rates are decreasing in Mauritania, with 2.3% in 2020 compared to 3% in 2018, 6.3% in 2010, and 12.12% in 2005.?

Latest Developments

22/06/2022

Mauritania hosts more than 85,000 refugees from Mali. Many  have lived in Mauritania since 2012, but the number of refugees has sharply escalated since March, owing to increased violence and insecurity in Mali. Most refugees live in the Mbera refugee camp (Hodh el Chargui region), and return to Mali remains unlikely because of continued insecurity. Instead, refugees have been slowly integrating into the society, with the majority working in farming, agriculture, or fishing in Lake Mahmouda. They have been faced with consecutive periods of drought since at least 2019, lack of rain, and increasing temperatures that impact their livelihoods. About 85% of land in Mauritania is facing desertification, while more than 60% of refugee households report inadequate food consumption. Due to lack of funding and despite the impact of climate change, some UN organisations have had to significantly cut food assistance in Mauritania (among other countries ), which will result in increased poverty and food insecurity.?

Key Priorities

19/01/2022

Food security: Over 660,000 people (15% of the total country population) are estimated to face IPC Phase 3 or above levels of food insecurity during the lean season between June–August 2022. This constitutes a 36% increase compared to 2021 and an 8% increase compared to 2020. ?

Over 484,000 people faced IPC Phase 3 or above levels of food insecurity between June–August 2021 –a 21% decrease from over 609,000 people facing the same levels in June–August 2020. ?

Nutrition: Malnutrition is widespread in Mauritania, with more than 340,000 people in need of nutrition assistance. Over 470,000 children (27%) live in extreme poverty. It is estimated that over 136,000 children will face acute malnutrition, including more than 32,700 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition in 2022.? 

WASH: Over 84,000 people are facing lack of access to safe water. Floods and droughts are affecting people’s ability to access WASH services.?

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Source: CILSS 2019
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