Refugees in Mauritania

Overall objectives

The main objective of this activity is to generate reliable, comparable, and policy-relevant socio-economic and labor market data in Mauritania by including a dedicated refugee and asylum seeker stratum in the upcoming Labor Force Surveys. This data will inform the Government of Mauritania’s inclusive policies, including those pledged at the 2019 and 2023 Global Refugee Forums, and support national efforts to integrate refugees into public services such as education, health, social protection, and the labor market.

By enhancing the understanding of refugee and asylum seeker livelihoods, employment patterns, and welfare conditions—particularly in vulnerable regions such as Hodh Chargui—the data will guide national policies and programs implemented by the Government of Mauritania, the World Bank, UNHCR, and other development partners. It will also support the design and monitoring of investments under the IDA-18 and IDA-20 financing windows, UNHCR and GIZ initiatives, and private sector engagement under the IFC-UNHCR Joint Initiative. Ultimately, this work aims to improve evidence-based decision-making and promote inclusive development outcomes for both displaced and host populations.

Activity description

The proposed project consists of two key components:

Labor Market Data Collection: For the first time refugees will be integrated into Mauritania’s forthcoming national Labor Force Survey (LFS). This will allow for the construction of key labor market indicators—such as employment and unemployment rates, labor force participation, underemployment, educational attainment, wage gaps, and professional downgrading. All indicators will be disaggregated by age, gender, point of entry, place of origin, and length of stay.

Economic Impact and Scenario Analysis: Using data from the LFS, Permanent Survey on Living Conditions in Mauritania, UNHCR’s proGres database, and remote sensing, the project will assess the impact of refugee presence and aid flows on host communities. It will also model alternative labor market integration scenarios using a discrete-choice labor mobility model tailored to Mauritania’s context.

Engagement with partners

The activity will be a partnership between the Mauritanian National Agency for Statistics, Demographic and Economic Analysis (ANSADE), the World Bank, UNHCR, and the JDC. ANSADE will lead survey implementation, with technical assistance provided by the World Bank.

Findings will be presented at a joint dissemination event with ANSADE to key government stakeholders, including ministries responsible for Interior, Economy, Education, Health, Social Affairs, WASH, Youth, Food Security, and TAAZOUR. The results will also be shared with inter-agency coordination bodies, including the Commission de Coordination des Projets de Développement ciblant les réfugiés, which brings together key development partners, UN agencies, and national authorities.

Background and Context

Mauritania has maintained a generous open-door policy toward refugees and asylum seekers since 2012, hosting approximately 309,000 individuals by the end of June 2025—98% of whom are from Mali. In line with commitments made at the Global Refugee Forums in 2019 and 2023, the Government of Mauritania (GoM) has pledged to expand refugee access to public services, labor markets, and documentation, while transforming Mbera camp and the neighboring areas through a concerted urbanization approach into a sustainable settlement. These commitments are supported by ongoing World Bank investments in health, WASH, social protection, and local development.

More recently, the GoM, with the support of UNHCR and all its partners, aims to launch a five-year Compact for the socio-economic development of Hodh Chargui for the period of 2026-2030.

The deteriorating security situation in Mali has led to a surge in displacement, with 112,000 new refugee arrivals in Mauritania in 2024 alone. In Hodh Chargui—one of the country’s poorest regions—refugees now comprise over 30% of the population. Living conditions remain precarious, and most refugees rely on informal employment or external assistance. As pressures mount, the need for accurate, up-to-date data on labor market outcomes and refugee integration has become urgent.

Mauritania has made progress in integrating refugees into its national statistical systems. The 2023 census included displaced populations, and recent surveys such as the SMART and WFP-UNHCR assessments have provided targeted insights. However, gaps remain in harmonizing labor market data and linking refugee data to broader development indicators.