Mauritania's Interior Minister, Moctar Ahmed Bouceif, recently presided over a meeting at the Ministry's headquarters to discuss the state of cleanliness in Nouakchott, the capital city. The meeting aimed to assess the performance of "Arma," a subcontracting company responsible for cleanliness services, and identify means to address observed dysfunctions. The goal is to develop a concrete and sustainable strategy to improve cleanliness services in the capital.
During the meeting, Minister Bouceif emphasized that the responsibility of supervising cleanliness, entrusted to the sector, requires mobilizing all available capacities and means. He stressed that no shortcomings in its execution can be tolerated, especially given the contract with a specialized company and the sector's expertise and experience in this field. The minister reviewed the context in which the contract with "Arma" was concluded, the stages of implementation, and the resulting delays.
Minister Bouceif acknowledged the efforts deployed by local authorities and government sectors in cleanliness campaigns but noted that the results remain below expectations. He insisted on the need to implement the legal and regulatory framework related to cleanliness, rigorously apply sanctions and fines to offenders, and oblige construction sites to collect and transport their waste to designated sites. The minister also called for strengthening the respect of rules governing waste collection and disposal.
The minister expressed concerns about "Arma's" performance, stating that it has not met expectations. He noted that the deadline granted to the company, extended until the end of December, should be an opportunity to correct dysfunctions and address shortcomings. However, he also called for exploring alternative options to ensure continuity of cleanliness services without interruption.
Minister delegate Yaghoub Ould Salem Vall presented a detailed report on the implementation of the contract with "Arma," highlighting the company's obligations, their level of execution, and observed dysfunctions. The three Nouakchott walis shared their observations, agreeing that "Arma's" performance has declined lately and that its interventions have not reached the required level.
Following an in-depth debate, Minister Bouceif issued a series of directives and decisions. These include elaborating a global vision and action plan to eliminate accumulated waste, putting into service all available temporary dumps, and evaluating the situation of the Tiférite dump. He also ordered the allocation of "Arma's" logistical means and equipment to the walis to strengthen coordination and improve intervention efficiency.
The minister instructed the walis to present concrete proposals by the end of the week, including their thoughts on the most effective means to address the cleanliness problem sustainably. A follow-up meeting is scheduled for November 8, 2026, to review the progress made and discuss presented proposals with the aim of adopting an integrated and concrete action plan to ensure sustainable cleanliness in Nouakchott.
Key points
- The Mauritanian government aims to develop a sustainable plan to improve cleanliness services in Nouakchott.
- The current cleanliness services provider, "Arma," has been underperforming, prompting the government to explore alternative options.
- The government has set a deadline for the end of the week for walis to present proposals for addressing the cleanliness problem in Nouakchott.
