The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a US$500,000 emergency humanitarian grant to Mauritania to assist Malian refugees and their host communities.
The funding will primarily address urgent needs related to water, sanitation, and hygiene for refugees, returnees, and host populations in the Hodh El Charghi region — one of the country’s most vulnerable areas.
Nearly 36,000 people — more than half of them women and children — living across 18 localities in the Moughataas of Adel-Bagrou, Timbédra, Djigueni, and Amourj are expected to benefit from the Bank Group’s support.
According to reports, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) will implement the project in close collaboration with Mauritanian authorities to ensure beneficiaries gain access to sanitation and hygiene services that meet international humanitarian standards.
“This emergency assistance reflects our solidarity with Mauritania and our commitment to upholding the dignity of the most vulnerable populations,” said Malinne Blomberg, the AfDB’s Deputy Director General for North Africa.
“By partnering with UNICEF and national authorities, we are providing a swift and tangible response to the essential needs of refugees and host communities,” she added.
The pan-African institution’s support will help finance the installation of 250 semi-permanent latrine and shower blocks, the distribution of 1,500 hygiene kits, the creation of 50 management committees, and the promotion of good hygiene practices. These initiatives are expected to help prevent waterborne diseases and strengthen social cohesion between refugees and local residents.
According to Alba Serna, a water and sanitation engineer at the AfDB, “this project will improve the health, dignity, and safety of thousands of people while promoting participatory and sustainable management of sanitation infrastructure. It marks a crucial step toward enhancing the resilience of communities in Hodh El Charghi.”
Mauritania has hosted tens of thousands of Malian refugees since 2012, following waves of insecurity in the West African nation.
With this new grant, the AfDB Group reaffirms its commitment to supporting Mauritania in addressing humanitarian challenges and contributing to stability and sustainable development in the Sahel.
Mauritania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohamed Salem Ould Merzoug, stated during the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York that the country currently hosts around 250,000 Malian refugees and has recently completed the regularization of over 150,000 migrants.
AK/ac/lb/as/APA