Mauritania Country Economic Memorandum - Accelerating Growth Through Diversification and Productive Cities

Jul 19, 2026

Mauritania Country Economic Memorandum analyzes the drivers of Mauritania’s growth and identifies constraints that limit structural transformation. It examines over-reliance on extractives and the missing link between urbanization and productivity, with special attention to Nouakchott’s urban dynamics. The report outlines why diversification is crucial, reviews opportunities and bottlenecks across agriculture, finance, value chains, governance, and land, and proposes a path toward sustainable, resilient growth through market-oriented reforms, stronger production factors, and improved urban planning.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages104

Reading Time4 h 22 min

AccessFree to download

Executive summary

Introduction

Understanding Mauritania’s growth story

Growth history

Weak foundations for growth and structural transformation

The need to diversify the Mauritanian economy

Why diversification matters to Mauritania

What are the opportunities for diversification

Constraints to agricultural productivity

Is Mauritania’s current diversification ecosystem adequate

The missing link between urbanization and growth

Understanding the urbanization landscape in Mauritania

Unpacking the linkages between urbanization and growth

Is Nouakchott lifting its weight as an urban agglomeration

The way forward for a more sustainable and resilient growth path

Promote a more market-oriented economy

Enhance production factors

Strengthen governance and improve urban planning

Better manage natural resources and adopt a more market-based exchange rate

Appendices

MAURITANIA Country Economic Memorandum: Accelerating Growth Through Diversification and Productive Cities © 2020 The World Bank 1818 H Street NW, Washington DC 20433 Telephone: 202-473-1000; [Internet: www.worldbank.org](Internet: www.worldbank.org) Some rights reserved This work is a product of the staff of The World Bank. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this work do not necessarily reflect the views of the Executive Directors of The World Bank or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. The boundaries, colors, denominations, and other information shown on any map in this work do not imply any judgment on the part of The World Bank concerning the legal status of any territory or the endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries. Rights and Permissions The material in this work is subject to copyright. Because the World Bank encourages dissemination of its knowledge, this work may be reproduced, in whole or in part, for noncommercial purposes as long as full attribution to this work is given. Attribution—Please cite the work as follows: “World Bank. 2020. Mauritania Country Economic Memorandum: Accelerating Growth Through Diversification and Productive Cities © World Bank.” All queries on rights and licenses, including subsidiary rights, should be addressed to World Bank Publications, The World Bank Group, 1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433, USA; fax: 202-522-2625; e-mail: [pubrights@worldbank.org](pubrights@worldbank.org). MAURITANIA Country Economic Memorandum: Accelerating Growth Through Diversification and Productive Cities May 2020 Contents Abbreviations vii Acknowledgements ix Executive summary xi 1. Introduction 1 2. Understanding Mauritania’s growth story 5 2.1. Growth history 5 2.2. Weak foundations for growth and structural transformation 7 2.2.1. Over-reliance on extractives 8 2.2.2. A missing link between urbanization and growth 11 3. The need to diversify the Mauritanian economy 15 3.1. Why diversification matters to Mauritania? 15 3.1.1. Diversification is a top priority for Mauritania’s development process 15 3.1.2. Mauritania has struggled to diversify exports away from extractives 17 3.2. What are the opportunities for diversification? 20 3.2.1. Focus on products with emerging comparative advantage 20 3.2.2. Export quality upgrading 22 3.2.3. New export opportunities based on established patterns 23 3.2.4. Further develop exports of transport services 24 3.3. Constraints to agricultural productivity 25 3.3.1. Human capital 25 3.3.2. Access to Finance 26 3.3.3. Value chains and Markets 27 3.3.4. Public spending 29 3.3.5. Governance 29 3.3.6. Land 30 3.4. Is Mauritania’s current diversification ecosystem adequate? 31 3.4.1. Rigid exchange-rate policy and underdeveloped banking sector 31 3.4.2. Despite recent improvements, the business environment remains challenging 31 3.4.3. High tariffs and trade restrictions compound a challenging business environment 35 3.4.4. Absence of preferential trade agreements 36 3.4.5. Poor infrastructure and connectivity increase trade costs 37 3.4.6. Weak human capital 39 4. The missing link between urbanization and growth 41 4.1. Introduction 41 4.2. Understanding the urbanization landscape in Mauritania 42 4.2.1. Urbanization and its Drivers 42 4.2.2. Spatial Inequality in Welfare and Access to Services: a Driver for Migration? 46 4.3. Unpacking the linkages between urbanization and growth 47 4.4. Is Nouakchott lifting its weight as an urban agglomeration? 52 4.4.1. Absence of effective land management and urban planning has resulted in urban sprawl 55 4.4.2. Low population densities, disconnected neighborhoods, and financing constraints make infrastructure and services costly 56 4.4.3. Inadequate institutional capacities also hamper other urban services 58 4.4.4. Nou

FAQs

What are the main reasons Mauritania’s growth has struggled to diversify?

The memorandum highlights over-reliance on extractives and challenges linking urbanization to growth. It also points to difficulties in exporting beyond extractives and constraints in financing, markets, and governance.

Which opportunities for diversification does the report emphasize?

It focuses on products with emerging comparative advantage, export quality upgrading, and new export opportunities that fit established patterns. It also discusses developing exports of transport services.

How does the report connect urbanization to economic growth in Mauritania?

It examines urbanization drivers and spatial inequality in access to services, then analyzes how urban dynamics affect growth linkages. For Nouakchott, it considers issues such as land management, infrastructure financing, institutional capacity, education, and climate-related challenges.

Jul 19, 2026

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