The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a grant of US$500,000 to Mauritania to provide emergency humanitarian assistance to Malian refugees and vulnerable host communities in the Hodh El Charqui region. The funding aims to address urgent water, hygiene, and sanitation needs for thousands affected by displacement.
Nearly 36,000 people, over half of them women and children, will benefit from the intervention.
They are spread across eighteen localities in the Moughataas of Adel-Bagrou, Timbédra, Djigueni, and Amourj.
The initiative will be implemented in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Mauritanian authorities to ensure that hygiene and sanitation services meet international humanitarian standards.
“ This emergency assistance illustrates our solidarity with Mauritania and our commitment to protecting the dignity of the most vulnerable populations ,” said Malinne Blomberg, Deputy Director General of the Bank Group for North Africa.
She added, “By partnering with UNICEF and national authorities, we are providing a rapid and concrete response to the essential needs of refugees and host communities.”
The support will finance the installation of 250 semi-permanent latrine and shower blocks, distribution of 1,500 hygiene kits, establishment of 50 management committees, and promotion of good sanitation practices. These measures aim to reduce the risk of waterborne diseases and foster social cohesion between refugees and local communities.
Alba Serna, a water and sanitation engineer at the AfDB, emphasized the broader impact: “This project will improve the health, dignity, and safety of thousands of people, while promoting participatory and sustainable management of sanitation infrastructure. This is a decisive step towards strengthening the resilience of the communities of Hodh El Charqui.”
Mauritania has hosted tens of thousands of Malian refugees since 2012 due to ongoing insecurity in Mali. According to Mauritanian Foreign Minister Mohamed Salem Ould Merzoug, the country currently shelters around 250,000 Malian refugees and has recently regularized more than 150,000 migrants.
With this new intervention, the AfDB reinforces its commitment to supporting Mauritania in meeting humanitarian needs and contributing to stability and sustainable development in the Sahel region.
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