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Mauritania

Key statistics

164,733

people were displaced or stateless (or returning from forced displacement) within the country at the end of 2024

162,303

people were registered as refugees and asylum-seekers at the end of 2024, mostly from Mali

$45.5 million

are needed in 2025 to ensure that operations and programmes in Mauritania are sustained

Mauritania, maintaining its long-standing open-door policy, hosts over 160,000 Malian refugees and asylum-seekers in the arid Hodh Chargui region - home to the Mbera camp - as well as in Nouakchott and Nouadhibou. With ongoing insecurity in Mali, large-scale returns are unlikely, and arrivals have continued into 2023 and 2024.

In coordination with national and local authorities through the Refugee Coordination Forum, UNHCR leads the interagency humanitarian response in Hodh Chargui. Its multi-year strategy focuses on ensuring access to protection and assistance while promoting inclusion in national systems. 

Efforts are centered on food security, documentation, livelihoods, and environmental resilience, while also enhancing refugee participation and self-reliance. The approach aims to strengthen community-based solutions, support integration, and explore resettlement options, working in close partnership with the government and host communities toward durable outcomes.

Strategy and results

This section provides key information related to the Global Appeal and Global Report.

Strategy

Latest multi-year strategy, outlining key priorities and a comprehensive overview of operational plans as part of the Global Appeal.

Download the strategy

Indicators and targets

Indicators and targets enable operations to establish their benchmarks and targets for comparison with results.

Download indicators and targets

Annual Results Report

Latest Annual Results Report highlighting key achievements from the year and published as part of the Global Report.

Download the ARR

Population and financial overview

Mauritania

Use the year selector to access information from previous years.

Populations

Population types

Note: The "Stateless" category does not include stateless people who are also in other categories, to avoid double counting. The total number of stateless, across all categories, is  .

NB: 2025 figures are planning figures.

Source: UNHCR Refugee Data Finder for years until 2022, UNHCR planning figures (COMPASS) otherwise.

Population by country

NB: 2025 figures are planning figures.

Source: UNHCR Refugee Data Finder for years until 2022, UNHCR planning figures (COMPASS) otherwise.

Population by origin

NB: 2025 figures are planning figures.

Source: UNHCR Refugee Data Finder for years until 2022, UNHCR planning figures (COMPASS) otherwise.

Financial

Budget and expenditure trend

Source: 2025 budget was approved by ExCom in October 2024 while the 2024 budget figures include the latest supplementary appeals and are updated on a monthly basis.

Budget by pillar
Budget by objective

Note: The table presents the  budget for this operation broken down at the objective level. Resource allocation at the objective level is subject to change during the course of the year as the operational situation evolves and priorities shift. The current budget, reflected in the bottom line of this table, is updated on a monthly basis and is replaced by the final budget at year-end.

Expenditure by Outcome Area
Budget by Impact Area
Protect: Attaining favourable protection environments
Respond: Realizing rights in safe environments
Empower: Empowering communities and achieving gender equality
Solve: Securing solutions

Source: 2023 budget as approved by the Executive Committee in October 2022.
2022 current budget as approved by the High Commissioner as of October 2022; pending presentation to the ExCom's Standing Committee.

Budget by Outcome and Enabling Areas

Source: 2023 budget as approved by the Executive Committee in October 2022.
2022 current budget as approved by the High Commissioner as of October 2022; pending presentation to the ExCom's Standing Committee.

Budget by Impact Area
Protect: Attaining favourable protection environments
Respond: Realizing rights in safe environments
Empower: Empowering communities and achieving gender equality
Solve: Securing solutions

Source: 2024 budget and 2023 current budget are taken from the budget document approved by UNHCR's Executive Committee in October 2023.

Budget by Impact Area
Protect: Attaining favourable protection environments
Respond: Realizing rights in safe environments
Empower: Empowering communities and achieving gender equality
Solve: Securing solutions

Source: 2025 budget was approved by ExCom in October 2024 while the 2024 budget figures include the latest supplementary appeals and are updated on a monthly basis.

Budget by Outcome and Enabling Areas

Source: 2025 budget was approved by ExCom in October 2024 while the 2024 budget figures include the latest supplementary appeals and are updated on a monthly basis.

Budget by Outcome and Enabling Areas

Source: 2025 budget was approved by ExCom in October 2024 while the 2024 budget figures include the latest supplementary appeals and are updated on a monthly basis.

Budget by Impact Area
Protect: Attaining favourable protection environments
Respond: Realizing rights in safe environments
Empower: Empowering communities and achieving gender equality
Solve: Securing solutions
Budget by Outcome and Enabling Areas

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Strategy - Country

Strategy

For more information about our work in Mauritania:

Are you looking for more data on displacement in Mauritania?

Visit the UNHCR data portal for the latest data and statistics on refugees, stateless and other displaced persons.

Visit the Operational Data Portal

 

Refworld

Find legislation, case law and UNHCR policy relating to claims for international protection.

Visit Refworld

 

Office contact details

Representation UNHCR Nouakchott

Street Address:
Ilot K No. 143, Route de la Corniche, Nouakchott, Mauritania

Mailing Address:
B.P. 4405, Nouakchott, Mauritania

Phone:
+222 5 257 415

Fax:
+222 5 256 176

Email:
[email protected]

Time zone:
GMT +0

    Working hours

    • Monday: 8:00 - 17:00
    • Tuesday: 8:00 - 17:00
    • Wednesday: 8:00 - 17:00
    • Thursday: 8:00 - 17:00
    • Friday: 8:00 - 12:30
    • Saturday: closed
    • Sunday: closed