Burkina Faso is increasingly plagued by instability and internal tensions. The month began with reports of the first defections from the pro-government militias, the Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland, and ended with the resurgence of tensions between the armed forces and the transitional government. Despite the support of Russian mercenaries and a significant increase in military spending over the past year, Burkinabé security forces have not yet managed to reverse the conflict’s momentum. The massacre in Mansila at the beginning of the month further highlighted this grim reality. Following the killing of a hundred servicemen stationed at the Mansila outpost, the government took precautionary measures by imposing a new crackdown on French media, suspending broadcasts of France24 for a month. However, this censorship failed to quell the discontent, with Burkinabé barracks once again in revolt, accusing the government of incompetence at best and corruption at worst. In response, President Traoré has sought assistance from allies in Russia and Mali. A mixed contingent of Malian troops and members of the Africa Corps arrived in Ouagadougou at the end of the month to support the transitional government, with President Traoré currently in a secret and safe location. Simultaneously, the government of Niger is on a collision course with neighboring countries. Following last month’s Chinese mediation, tensions between Niamey and PortoNovo regarding the Niger-Benin pipeline have returned. Beninese security forces arrested five Nigerien citizens, later revealed to be members of Niamey’s security forces, accused of illegally entering the north of Benin to conduct sabotage acts against the infrastructure. Legal proceedings against the remaining prisoners continue despite the release of two detainees. Meanwhile, to galvanize public opinion – which is increasingly critical of the government’s economic management – the Niamey government has revoked the license granted to the French parastatal Orano for managing the mega-mining plant in Imouraren. This long-anticipated measure, officially justified by the Nigerien government due to plant production delays, has sparked controversy. Orano warns against the negative effects on the country and region’s economic development resulting from the plant’s confiscation. At the same time, the junta celebrates the action “as a defense of the people’s will”.
Med-Or Foundation’s Memorandum of Understanding with the Islamic Republic of Mauritania will cover cooperation in higher education and cultural heritage conservation
The event, organized by Med-Or Foundation in collaboration with the Mauritanian Ministry of Culture and the Mauritanian Embassy in Italy, took place on Thursday 23 March in Rome at the MAXXI auditorium
Head of state | Mohamed Cheikh El Ghazouani |
Head of Government | Mohamed Ould Bilal |
Institutional Form | Unitary semi-presidential Islamic republic |
Capital | Nouakchott |
Legislative Power | Unicameral Parliament or Barlamane (Narional Assembly or Al Jamiya Al Wataniya, 157 Members every 5 years) |
Judicial Power | Supreme Court (divided into 7 Houses: 2 Civil Houses, 2 Labour Houses, 1 Commercial House, 1 Administrative House and 1 penal House. Each House has one President and two Councillors); Constitutional Council (6 Members) |
Ambassador to Italy | Mohamed Mahmoud Dahi |
Total Area kmq | 1.030.700 km2 |
Land | 1.030.700 km2 |
Weather | Desert, hot, dry and dusty |
Natural resources | Iron, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil and fishing |
Economic summary | The economy is based on the extractive industries, fishing, animal husbandry, agriculture, and services. Recent GDP growth depends on foreign investments in the mining and oil sectors; half the population depends on agriculture and livestock farming |
GDP | $8.23 billion (Dec. 2021) |
Pro-capite GDP (Purchasing power parity) | $1544 (Dec. 2021) |
Exports | $3.7 billion (2020) |
Export partner | China 33.9%, Switzerland 15.2%, Spain 8.27%, Canada 7.67%, Japan 5.66%, Italy 3.71% (2020) |
Imports | $3.41 billion (2020) |
Import partner | China 22.2%, France 7.93%, UAE 6.73%, Morocco 5.55%, Spain 4.68%, United States 3.96%, Brazil 3.3% (2020) |
Trade With Italy | $ 241,56 million (2021) |
Population | 4.161.925 (2022) |
Population Growth | 1,99% (2022 est.) |
Ethnicities | Black Mauri (Haratines) 40%, White Mauri (Beydane) 30%, Sub-Saharan Mauritanians (including Halpulaar, Fulani, Soninke, Wolof, Bambara ethnic groups) 30% |
Languages | Arabic (official and national), Pular, Soninke, Wolof (all national languages), French |
Religions | Muslim (official): 100% Islamic |
Urbanization | 56,9 % (2022) |
Literacy | 53.5% |
Independent since 1958, the West African state of Mauritania borders with Western Sahara to the north, Algeria to the northeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Senegal to the south and Mali to the east. The population is estimated to be 4.4 million, divided into six ethnic groups. The official language is Arabic.
Thanks to its off-centre geographical position in relation to the Sahel crisis, Mauritania today enjoys a good level of political stability. Despite this and the presence of natural and energy resources, the country has not yet achieved a sustained economic growth. Its proximity to Western Sahara to the north, combined with its economic potential, make Mauritania a key country in the geopolitical balances of the Broader Mediterranean region.
Trade between Italy and Mauritania is growing. Since 2018, Italian private companies have begun to explore business opportunities in the local market, and in 2020 the value of trade between the two countries increased by 12 percent. In 2021 the trade between the two countries reached $ 241,56 million. Italian exports to Mauritania mainly consist of agricultural and industrial machinery, while imports include energy and fish products. Italy has also launched a wide range of initiatives in the humanitarian sphere as well as in security cooperation.