COUNTRY IN FOCUS •
MAURITANIA – A NEW ERA OF TRANSFORMATION
By Sharyn Macnamara
The election of President Mohamed Ould El-Ghazouani has seen Mauritania enter a new era conducive to sustainable foreign investment and focused on an ESG-based development model ( Environment Social and Governance ).
Located in northwest Africa , the Islamic Republic of Mauritania is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean , the Western Sahara , Algeria , Mali and Senegal . Around 70 % of Mauritania is desert country , with vast expanses of pastoral land and only 500 000ha of arable land . Emanating from the Almoravid Empire in 1039 , which eventually encompassed much of North Africa , southern Spain and all of present-day Mauritainia , 1 it is a country steeped in ancient history with a diverse , multi-cultural population of over 4.2 million . The country boasts a coastline of almost 700km and the nation ' s coastal waters are known to be among the richest fishing areas in the world . Mining , however , is the primary contributor to the national foreign earnings employing over 60 % of the workforce . The sector contributes to more than 22 % of the country ’ s GDP2 , with iron-ore as the historical primary mineral focus . Mauritania also produces oil and by the end of 2023 its gas potential will be leveraged in partnership with Senegal . As a leading producer of iron ore , copper , gold3 and silver , Mauritania has much to offer investors .
Mining – backbone of the economy “ Mining and the extractive industry form the backbone of the Mauritanian economy and the government ’ s growth strategy in the sector is inspired by an African mining vision , which forms the basis of its legal and regulatory framework to support its commitment to transformative industries . The legal artisanal mining sector makes up a very large and important portion of the workforce in the country . In 2021 the minister of Petroleum , Energy and Mining , HE M . Abdessalam Mohamed Saleh , noted that the artisanal mining sector provides around 45 000 direct jobs and about 100 000 indirect jobs , contributing around USD780- million annually to the fiscus . 4
“ To support its strategy the government has since 2007 implemented the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative ( EITI ) with a drive to encourage investment in the huge mineral potential in the country in order to boost and diversify economic growth and to support social policies of inclusivity , says ambassador of Mauritania to the Republic of South Africa , his excellency Jarr Ould Inalla .”
After the tough international pandemic , according to the World Bank , Mauritania ’ s economic recovery in 2021 was robust although still below pre-COVID-19 levels and growth potential . Growth rebounded to 2.4 % in 2021 due to an increase in private consumption and investment , as well as an improved performance
IPAM IPAM
Ladies in the field – Rosso in the south of Mauritania .
The artisanal fishing port in Nouadhibou .
of the services sector . 5 In June 2022 mining production in the country increased by 24.5 % compared with the same month in the previous year . 6
Mineral potential “ Mauritania covers an extensive area and has four distinct geological terrains ,” says Dr Nicolaas C . Steenkamp , an independent consultant and specialist in geological , geotechnical and geometallurgical projects . “ The north of the country consists of the Archean Reguibat Shield which strikes into Western Sahara and Algeria . The second region is the Neoproterozoic N-S striking Mauritanide Belt which was folded and thrusted during the Variscan orogeny . The third region is referred to as the Taoudeni Basin which consists of predominantly continental sediments of Neoproterozoic to Phanerozoic age , covering most of central and southern Mauritania , while the Senegal Basin in the southwest of the country has marine sediments of Jurassic to Recent age . The desert country ,
www . africanmining . co . za |
African Mining Publication |
African Mining |
African Mining • January 2023 • 13 |