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Country Commercial Guides for FY 2000: Mauritania Report prepared by U.S. Embassy Nouakchott, released July 1999   Note*

III. POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT

Overall View

Mauritania is a Sahelien country of cross-cutting Arab and African influences that is seeking with limited resources to surmount a history of nomadic poverty, Arab nationalism, and socialist misadventure by building a sedentary, pluralist democracy and market-based economy. Twice the size of France (1.09 sq. km) but with only 2.5M people, Mauritania has the world's third lowest population density after Mongolia and Namibia. Its pluralist society is roughly 70% Arabic-speaking Moors (30% white Moors and 40% black or mixed Moors) and 30% members of the southern-based ethnic groups, Pulaar, Soninke and Wolof. Virtually all are Sunni Muslims. Located at the western edge of the Sahara with 500 miles of Atlantic coastline, Mauritania shares borders with the Western Sahara and Algeria to the north, Mali to the east and south, and Senegal to the south. The country is 90% desert. At independence in 1960, 85% of the population were nomads. Today only about 5% remain nomads, and fully one-third of the population lives in Nouakchott.

A one-party state virtually from independence until July 1978, and a military dictatorship from 1978-92, Mauritania has made notable but uneven progress since it adopted a democratic constitution in 1991 and held its first multiparty presidential elections in 1992. The 1991 Constitution provides for a civilian government composed of a dominant executive branch, a Senate and National Assembly, and an independent judiciary. President Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya has governed since 1984, first as head of a military junta, and since 1992 as head of a civilian government. In December 1997, Taya was reelected President, receiving over 90% of the vote in an election widely regarded as fraudulent and largely boycotted by the opposition parties. While some 23 opposition parties are active, the legislature remains overwhelmingly in the hands of the ruling party, the PRDS. The judiciary remains vulnerable to outside influences. There is an active independent press that is sometimes censored by the Government.

Mauritania is divided into thirteen regions (called wilayas), including the district of Nouakchott. Each wilaya is headed by an appointed governor (wali), who represents the Ministry of Interior. The elected local mayors' councils, however, have limited authority. The Mauritanian administration is highly centralized, with all major offices and agencies headquartered in the capital.

Mauritanian Relationship with the United States

From 1960-67, relations between the United States and Mauritania were excellent. In June 1967, Mauritania broke diplomatic relations with the United States to show solidarity with the Arab countries during the Israeli-Arab war. In December 1969, U.S.-Mauritanian relations resumed and remained cordial until 1989. From 1981 to 1992, the United States provided about USD 100M in economic and food assistance. U.S.-Mauritanian relations worsened during the 1989-91 period due to human rights abuses committed by the Mauritanian military during the ethnic clashes and to the GIRM's pro-Iraqi stance during the Gulf War. In 1991, the USG closed the USAID mission in Nouakchott and ceased development assistance. The USG also suspended Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) privileges. Relations have gradually improved since then, as Mauritania adopted a democratic constitution, held elections, built democratic institutions, improved its human rights record, and worked to improve the welfare of former slaves. GSP benefits were restored to Mauritania by President Clinton on June 30, 1999.

Brief of Political System

Mauritania is currently among the more stable West African states. A member of both the Arab League and the Organization of African Unity, Mauritania generally tends to coordinate its positions on multilateral issues with those two organizations. In recent years, the GIRM has supported the Middle East Peace Process and recognized Israel, which opened an embassy in Nouakchott. Mauritania is also a participant (observer) in the NATO Mediterranean Dialogue.

Mauritania belongs to the following International Organizations: - United Nations
- World Bank
- International Monetary Fund
- African Development Bank
- Organization of African Unity
- Arab League
- Arab Monetary Fund
- Arab Maghreb Union
- Organization of the Islamic Conference
- Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
- Interstate Committee to Combat Sahel Drought (CILSS)
- Non-aligned countries
- Agency for the Security of African Air Navigation (ASECNA)
- Senegal River Development Organization (OMVS)
- Accord de Non-Agression et d'Assistance en Matière de Défense

The 1999 GIRM policy guidelines presented by Prime Minister Cheikh El Avia Ould Mohamed Khouna focused on market liberalization, information technology development, sustainable development and growth, poverty alleviation, education, and health improvement. The Government promised to modernize the Administration; reform the Law; create favorable conditions for economic growth; effect policies necessary to attract foreign investments; develop the agricultural, mining, and fishing sectors; raise the level of exports; and increase popular income.