What does Prevention look like in Mauritania?
by Lila Pieters Yahia, UN Resident Coordinator in Mauritania
11 April 2023
Caption: Lila Pieters Yahia, UN Resident Coordinator in Mauritania (sitting fourth from the right) visited Bassikounou district to observe the efforts on the ground by the UN country team in utilizing the Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund to foster conflict prevention and promote social cohesion among the host communities, IDPs and refugees.
Deep in the heart of Southeastern Mauritania lies the district and town of Bassikounou, in Hodh el Chargui region, nestled on the border with neighboring Mali, over 1,200 kilometers from the capital city of Nouakchott. The border between the two countries is barely visible. The vast grasslands of Bassikounou have long provided nourishment for herds of livestock. However, in recent years, the region has experienced a decline in rain and pasture making life more challenging for the people and animals. Despite the invisible boundary that separates the two nations, the communities on either side remain tightly knit through their shared family ties, trading relationships and religious traditions.
As of 31 December 2022, over 82,816 refugees resided in the Mbera camp and 8,447 outside the camp. This influx of refugees with their livestock has added additional pressure on the pastures and water sources. The pressure on the diminishing natural resources is causing a multiplication of conflicts between communities for access to water and grazing fields. In 2022, Mauritania experienced an influx of new refugees, coupled with Mauritanian returnees from Mali due to the deteriorating security situation. Returning pastoralist herds are estimated at 800,000 livestock, exacerbating the scarcity of resources, and raising concerns about tensions with the host population over water access.
As part of my new role as Resident Coordinator in Mauritania, I visited Bassikounou district to observe the efforts on the ground by the UN country team1 in utilizing the Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund to foster conflict prevention and promote social cohesion among the host communities, IDPs and refugees. When we met with the prefect of Bassikounou, he underscored how social cohesion is a priority for the local authorities and appreciated PBF’s support. The PBF’s investment in Mauritania dates to 2018 when the FAO-UNDP-UNICEF and OHCHR collaborated to implement a pioneering project aimed at managing scarce natural resources, enhancing economic development, and supporting village committees in resolving conflicts. Although the project has ended, lasting effects can still be observed: the local radio station that it helped established is in operation and has become a vital tool in promoting social harmony between host communities and refugees. It is gratifying to note that the local authorities are now overseeing this radio station. As the head of the coordination cell of the Hodh El Charugui said, “the radio is a jewel, through its broadcasting and radio talk shows, it allowed to reinforce social cohesion and peaceful coexistence between refugees and host communities” including young people and women.
During my visit, I had the privilege of meeting inspiring women and young girls who shared their hopes and priorities for economic empowerment. The Bassikounou women’s network, consisting of 49 gender focal points, village committees and 20 women’s associations, is now institutionalized. The women spoke about the transformational change they brought to their communities by implementing simple rules to lift structural barriers regarding women’s participation and rights. One such rule is to ensure that each time a man speaks, a women should have the opportunity to voice her opinion. Today, the Bassikounou network is the technical branch of the newly created Observatoire National des Droits de la Femme et de la Fille (ONDFF), making it a powerful force for gender equality in Mauritania.
Caption: In Bassikounou, women spoke about the transformational change they brought to their communities by implementing simple rules to lift structural barriers regarding women’s participation and rights.
I also had the honor of meeting with the Mourchidates, a group of fifty Mauritanian women religious guides, who are working tirelessly to deconstruct radical rhetoric arguments used by extremist groups in Néma, and prevent violent extremism. Their critical role in promoting peace, through an innovative pilot initiative supported by PBF and implemented by UNODC and UNESCO has been recognized by the Mauritanian Ministry of Islamic Affairs and Original Education (MAIEO), as well as by the G5 Sahel. To learn more about their impactful work, do read their story.
Mauritania’s mostly desert territory is highly susceptible to deforestation and drought, with temperatures regularly exceeding 40°c during the dry season from September to July. Bushfires, a frequent occurrence during this period, threaten refugees and host communities, their herds and livelihoods. I was privileged to see the achievements of the Mbera fire brigade volunteers and to hear from the national local authorities and host communities their appreciation of the brigade in extinguishing the fires around the town of Bassikounou and the Mbera camp. Founded by refugees, this all-volunteer firefighting group has extinguished over 100 bushfires and planted thousands of trees to preserve the lives, livelihoods of the host communities and refugees and the local environment. Nearly 620 kilometers of firebreaks have been set up to prevent the spread of flames. These interactions between refugees and host populations in the inclusive, equitable and sustainable management of natural resources is a strong illustration of the catalytic role by the Peacebuilding Fund in Mauritania by supporting a pilot initiative and scaling it up in the neighboring villages of Bassikounou and Fassala. The Fire Brigade’s courage and tenacity in safeguarding lives, livelihoods and the environment that is increasingly under threat due to climate change, has earned them the title of the Africa Regional Winner of the 2022 Nansen Refugee Award.2
During our visit to the Mbera camp and surrounding villages, we witnessed the devastating effects of climate change on refugees and host communities. However, we also saw inspiring initiatives led by youth and women volunteers to regenerate vegetation cover and promote social cohesion. Through the planting of 20,000 seedlings cultivated on five reforestation sites, women are now able to sell vegetables produced in community fields to sustain their families, invest in small businesses, and save for joint initiatives. In addition, a youth-led start-up is piloting biogas production in Bassikounou by employing youth to provide natural gas for vulnerable families.
Beyond Bassikounou, the Fund has invested in cross-border initiatives to address fragility risks, including in Mauritania due to its porous borders and security threats such as trafficking and terrorism. Between Mali and Mauritania, with PBF’s support, FAO and IOM are strengthening the conflict prevention and management capacities of cross-border communities by setting up, training and equipping 24 village committees located on the Mauritano-Malian border zone, and developing the cross-border cooperation framework on the analysis of data on transhumance and development plans. The awareness of pastoral code through cross-border village committees has greatly reduced conflicts in the area.
In a world that is often plagued by conflict and strife, the need for peacebuilding initiatives has never been greater. The UN Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund is a unique tool that can effectively prevent conflicts from escalating and support ongoing peacebuilding efforts. My visit to Bassikounou allowed me to see firsthand the changes and transformation on the ground supported by the PBF and jointly implemented by the United Nations Country Team and national partners and refugees communities. Integrated initiatives have been implemented that continue to have a significant impact on social cohesion, on the recognition of the critical role of women and young people in conflict management and natural resource management. I am more convinced than ever that we must continue to support such initiatives and invest in peacebuilding – only then can we hope to create a better future for all.
1. Since 2018, PBF has invested $22M in Mauritania, implemented by 11 UN Agencies, Funds and Programmes.
2. UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award honours individuals, groups and organizations who go above and beyond the call of duty to protect refugees, as well as internally displaced and stateless people. The 2022 Global Laureate was Dr. Angela Merkel. The Africa Regional Winner was the Mbera Fire Brigade.