Mauritania - Economic Reforms and Diversification Support Programme - Phase II (PAREDE II)

General

The proposed operation is the second phase of a programme-based budget support operation to the Islamic Republic of Mauritania. The objective of the first phase (PAREDE I), for the 2016-2017 period, for an amount of UA 6.7 million was to create conditions conducive to the diversification of the economy in order to promote inclusive and sustainable growth. The outcomes of the first phase were deemed very satisfactory. PAREDE II, which is a continuation of PAREDE I, has two complementary components as follows: (i) Support for the Improvement of Public Expenditure Effectiveness; and (ii) Support for the Promotion of the Non-extractive Industries Production System. The reforms identified under PAREDE II will contribute to attaining this objective by diversifying the Mauritanian economy and reducing its dependence on natural resources. To attain this objective, this programme lays emphasis on reforms aimed at supporting the economic diversification process which will have a very significant impact on gender. The programme has already adopted an important measure to increase the number of land titles issued to women from 52 in 2016 to 80 in 2018. This measure is a continuation of that of PAREDE I, which helped to increase the number of agricultural land titles issued to women from 20 in 2015 to 52 in 2016.

Objectives

The programme’s main objective is to create enabling conditions for diversifying the Mauritanian economy to promote inclusive and sustainable growth. The specific objectives are to: (i) improve public expenditure effectiveness; and (ii) promote the non-extractive industries production system.

Target Groups

The programme’s direct beneficiaries are the State of Mauritania, through the MEF, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Ministry of Livestock. The indirect beneficiaries are Mauritanian citizens, who will be impacted by the stabilization of the country’s macroeconomic situation, and increased economic growth, excluding extractive industries, through the creation of sustainable jobs in growth sectors and income generation. Private entrepreneurs, professional organizations, farmers and stock breeders, especially women and young people, are also PAREDE II indirect beneficiaries, in the sense that the reform of the production system, especially in terms of PPPs and land law, will facilitate their integration into the economy, and thus contribute to creating wealth for the country.