Chad and Mauritania have signed a landmark $137 million financing agreement, backed by the World Bank and the Federal Republic of Germany, to overhaul their education systems and provide new opportunities for more than 850,000 young people across both nations.
The Regional Engagement for Learning and Collaboration in Education (RELANCE) Project, formalised on July 22, seeks to modernise sectoral governance while expanding flexible and inclusive learning pathways.
Half of the beneficiaries are expected to be girls, with a strong focus on reaching learners with special needs and those excluded from traditional education systems.
In the face of rapid population growth, unequal access to schooling, and rising demand for job-ready skills, RELANCE introduces a collaborative model aimed at integrating innovation, resource sharing, and coordinated reforms across the two Sahelian countries.
Central to the initiative is the creation of a Regional Institute of Educational Sciences in Nouakchott, designed to train senior education officials, drive applied research, and develop data-driven education policies. Supported by the Association of African Universities, the institute will serve as a hub for sustainable cooperation between Chad and Mauritania.
“The signing of the financing agreements for the RELANCE Sahel project reflects our collective commitment to building a resilient, educated, and forward-looking Sahel,” said Sid’Ahmed Bouh, Mauritania’s Minister of Economy and Finance.
The project will also establish Regional Open Schools in both countries, combining digital platforms, in-person support, and vocational training to serve young people with limited access to conventional education. “The Regional Open School represents a concrete response to the educational realities of our country.
It will allow thousands of young people, often far removed from traditional structures, to access adapted learning paths, providing skills and hope,” said Dr. Aboubakar Assidick Tchoroma, Chad’s Minister of National Education and Civic Promotion.
Funded through Germany’s KfW as part of the Multi-Donor Trust Fund for the Sahel and West African Coast Countries, RELANCE reflects a shared commitment to regional development.
German Ambassador to Mauritania Dr. Florian Reindel called it “an ambitious and pragmatic regional approach” that strengthens inclusive education rooted in local realities.
The World Bank will support Chad and Mauritania through technical expertise and long-term financing, building on national initiatives such as Mauritania’s PASEB II and Chad’s PARAEB while introducing a coordinated regional strategy.
“Shaping minds means mapping out the contours of a promising future: an ambitious education policy, like a carefully sown seed, carries within it the promise of progress. The RELANCE project thus reflects our shared desire to make education a transformative force in Mauritania and Chad, by training enlightened generations, ready to meet the challenges of tomorrow,” said Ousmane Diagana, World Bank Vice President for West and Central Africa.
Designed as a regional platform, the RELANCE Project will remain open to other Sahelian nations, paving the way for a more integrated and resilient educational space across the region.
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