Canada-Mauritania relations

Bilateral relations

Bilateral relations between Canada and Mauritania are limited but growing, particularly in areas related to trade and security. In addition to cooperation within La Francophonie, Canada has partnered with Mauritania on counter-terrorism and regional security efforts, and offers support for its security sector.

Through the Counter Terrorism Capacity Building Program (CTCBP), Canada contributed to over $20 million specifically in the Sahel region, which include Mauritania, in support of counter terrorism capacity building initiatives. Canada co-chaired the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF) Sahel working group between 2011 and 2019, in which Mauritania was invited to participate in meetings and training workshops. Canada and Mauritania also cooperate, in the multilateral context, notably in NATO’s Mediterranean Dialogue and La Francophonie.

Over the past two years, the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI) has contributed $80,000 to improve women’s rights, with a focus on addressing early marriage, gender-based violence, female genital mutilation and improving access to education. In 2016, Mauritanian diaspora in Canada was estimated at about 1,000 people. In Mauritania, Canada is represented by the Embassy of Canada in Rabat, Morocco, and by an Honorary Consul in Nouakchott which provides assistance in consular affairs. Mauritania has Honorary Consuls based in Montreal and Edmonton.

Trade relations

Trade relations between Canada and Mauritania are dominated by a strong presence of Canadian companies in the mining sector. Trade in goods and equipment between Canada and Mauritania is modest. In 2021, our bilateral trade with Mauritania totaled $446.7 million, with Canadian exports valued at $24 million, consisting mainly of vehicles, books, newspapers and other printed products, and machinery. Imports reached $422.7 million and consisted mainly of gold, in raw or semi-manufactured form (99.9%). Approximately 23 Canadian companies do business with Mauritania (Statistics Canada). Most of them are active in the mining sector, while a few companies operate in the education and training sector. Canada is the largest foreign investor in Mauritania, with mining assets estimated at $3 billion in 2021. Mauritania offers significant trade opportunities for Canada in the mining (equipment supply) and education (vocational training) sectors.

Canada is pleased to offer full scholarships to students from Mauritania to study in Canada, at various levels of study and open to all disciplines, starting in the 2020/2021 school year as part of the pilot Study in Canada Scholarships program.

Development and humanitarian assistance

Canada is concerned about the deterioration of the security situation in the Sahel and is committed to minimizing its impact on the populations of the region, as well as to meeting the growing needs of the most vulnerable. During the 2012 crisis in the Sahel, Canada responded to food needs by disbursing $65.4 million to the region through UN organizations such as the World Food Programme and UNICEF, as well as the International Committee of the Red Cross and Canadian non-governmental organizations, to support food and nutrition assistance to people in need. Canada helped improve access to food and provided lifesaving nutritional support through a number of activities, including the distribution of emergency food rations, supporting community-based treatment of acute malnutrition, and improving access to safe water for men, women and children facing this very complex humanitarian situation.

During the past few years, Canada has committed over $5.5 million to the United Nations Refugee Agency, the World Food Programme, the Food and Agriculture Organization and Action Against Hunger to ensure food security for the most vulnerable, including women and girls living in the M’bera refugee camp located in the southeastern part of Mauritania. In 2021, as part of a $40 million crisis reserve allocation, Canada approved a $1 million contribution to the World Health Organization to ensure access to COVID-19 care throughout Mauritania. In February 2022, Canada allocated 201,600 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine to Mauritania through the COVAX facility. Canada also provided assistance to populations affected by food insecurity and flooding in 2022 through a Red Cross Red Crescent relief operation.

Partnerships and organizations

To develop effective responses to today’s most pressing global challenges, Canada and Mauritania work closely in multilateral fora, such as:

Date modified:: 2022-10-31

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