Mauritania - Islamic Development Bank

Table of Contents
Executive Summary .................................................................................................................... xi
I. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................ 1
II. COUNTRY CONTEXT, RECENT ECONOMIC TRENDS AND CHALLENGES ............................. 2
1. Geographical and Socio-Political-Historical Context ................................................. 2
2. Recent Economic Trends and Challenges .................................................................. 2
3. Structural Weaknesses .............................................................................................. 5
4. Key constraints to economic growth in the medium term ........................................ 7
III. MAURITANIA’S VISION, DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES AND PRIORITIES .......................... 10
1. Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper 2001-2015 .......................................................... 10
2. Risks to Government Strategy ................................................................................... 12
IV. PAST AND CURRENT INTERVENTIONS OF IDB GROUP AND INVOLVEMENT
OF OTHER DONORS ..................................................................................................... ...... 12
1. IDB Group Portfolio in Mauritania ............................................................................. 12
2. Lessons Learned from Evaluation of Past IDB Group Intervention in Mauritania ..... 13
3. Other Donors Involvement in Mauritania ................................................................. 14
V. ELEMENTS OF IDB GROUP PARTNERSHIP STRATEGY ........................................................ 15
1. Strategic framework for the Mauritania MCPS .......................................................... 15
2. PILLAR I: Enhancing Human Development through Health ....................................... 16
2.1 Current situation .............................................................................................. 16
2.2 Main Constraints .............................................................................................. 17
2.3 Government’s Strategy For the Health Sector ................................................. 18
2.4 Proposed Interventions (with donors) to Help Government Meet its Goals ... 18
2.5 Suggestions and Recommendations for the Government ............................... 18
3. PILLAR II: Rural Development and Food Security ...................................................... 19
3.1 Current Status ................................................................................................. 19
3.2 Constraints ....................................................................................................... 19
3.3 Opportunities .................................................................................................. 20
3.4 Government Strategy ...................................................................................... 20
3.5 Proposed IDB Group Interventions .................................................................. 21
3.6 Suggestions and Recommendations for the Government ............................... 22
4. PILLAR III: Enhancing and Diversifying the Foundations of a Modern Economy ....... 23
4.1 Private Sector Development / Islamic Finance ................................................ 23
4.2 Trade Finance & Insurance .............................................................................. 26
4.3 Suggestions and Recommendations for the Government ............................... 27
5. Cross-Cutting Theme: Capacity Building .................................................................... 27
5.1 Current situation and Constraints .................................................................... 27
5.2 Government Strategy and Objectives .............................................................. 28
5.3 IDB Group Proposed Strategy .......................................................................... 28
VI. RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES ............................................................................................... 29
VII. CONCLUSIONS AND WAY FORWARD ................................................................................ 30
ANNEXES .................................................................................................................................... 31
Mauritania at a Glance .............................................................................................................. 33
Results Matrix ............................................................................................................................ 34
MCPS for Mauritania, 2011-2015 ix