The results of the Permanent Survey on Household Living Conditions (EPCV 2025-2026), presented by ANSADE on November 2, 2026, highlight a decline in Mauritania's poverty rate from 28.2% in 2019 to 25.7% in 2025. Despite this decrease, the number of people living in poverty increased by over 158,000, reaching 1.3 million. This apparent paradox can be attributed to rapid demographic growth.
The survey also reveals that household expenditures rose by 22.6% between 2019 and 2025, while prices increased by 30.6%, with food product prices surging by 42.6%. This suggests that increased spending does not necessarily translate to improved living standards. The data indicates that the country's economic growth has not been evenly distributed, leading to persistent disparities in living standards.
A significant disparity in poverty rates exists across different regions in Mauritania. The Guidimakha region has the highest poverty rate at 46.5%, followed by Tagant at 42.7%, Brakna at 38.6%, and Adrar at 32.9%. In contrast, Nouakchott and Dakhlet Nouadhibou have significantly lower poverty rates of 12% and 9.1%, respectively. These territorial disparities highlight the need for a more inclusive development model.
The persistence of territorial disparities has led to calls for a change in Mauritania's development model, which is still largely centralized and inherited from the colonial era. While progress has been made in accessing education, healthcare, and essential services, these gains are unevenly distributed across regions. To sustainably reduce poverty, it is essential to enable populations to produce, work, and live with dignity in their respective regions.
A shift in the development paradigm is required, moving from a top-down approach to a more decentralized and inclusive model that empowers local communities and territories. This involves providing local authorities with financial resources, human capacity, and decision-making power. The recent government initiative to consult with regions on their priority needs is a step in the right direction, provided it strengthens decentralization and respects local elected officials' prerogatives.
Ensuring territorial equity does not mean allocating equal resources to all regions but rather taking into account their specific needs, challenges, and potential. The development of local areas, effective decentralization, and territorial equity should become the pillars of Mauritania's development policy. This approach would help address the significant disparities in access to services and economic opportunities that persist across regions.
According to Abdelkader Ould Mohamed, the current development model must change to prioritize local development, decentralization, and territorial equity. The national development strategy should focus on creating opportunities for economic growth and social progress that benefit all regions and populations, rather than perpetuating disparities. By adopting a more inclusive and decentralized approach, Mauritania can work towards reducing poverty and promoting sustainable development.
Key points
- The poverty rate in Mauritania decreased from 28.2% to 25.7% between 2019 and 2025, but territorial disparities remain significant.
- The persistence of territorial disparities has led to calls for a change in Mauritania's development model, which is still largely centralized and inherited from the colonial era.
- A shift in the development paradigm is required, moving from a top-down approach to a more decentralized and inclusive model that empowers local communities and territories.
