Mauritania: MCC invests $27 million to improve the energy sector and climate resilience

Mauritania has signed a USD27 million grant agreement with the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) as part of its drive to transform the energy sector and improve living conditions for its people. The agreement, initialled on Tuesday 7 January 2025, marks a strategic turning point for the country, which aims to achieve universal access to electricity by 2030 and strengthen its environmental resilience.

Mauritania has considerable energy potential, both fossil and renewable. Natural gas, vast solar resources and exceptional wind power capacity in the north of the country offer unique opportunities to meet growing energy needs. However, according to the World Bank, only 49% of Mauritania's population had access to electricity in 2022, while renewable energies accounted for just 22% of the electricity supply.

This agreement with the MCC is a key step towards unlocking this potential and improving access to reliable, sustainable energy, while strengthening the fight against climate change.

The MCC-funded programme focuses on two main areas:

1. Capacity building in the energy sector
This component aims to modernise energy management in Mauritania by supporting institutional reforms and training local players to optimise the production, transmission and use of electricity. Inclusive plans will be drawn up to improve the efficiency of the electricity network and support the country's development objectives.

2. Strengthening environmental resilience
The second part of the agreement tackles the challenges of climate change by improving the Mauritanian government's capacity to plan, finance and implement sustainable environmental policies. The aim is to protect energy infrastructures while ensuring a better quality of life for citizens.

Alice Albright, Director General of the MCC, underlined the transformative impact of this agreement:
By investing and pursuing reforms in two critical areas - energy and environmental resilience - MCC's threshold programme is poised to improve the lives of all Mauritanians and create solid, sustainable foundations on which the Government of Mauritania can build."

By mobilising funding and taking concrete action, Mauritania could become a model for energy transition in Africa. Exploiting its immense renewable potential would not only help to broaden access to electricity, but also strengthen climate resilience, particularly in rural areas, where needs are greatest.

The agreement with the MCC paves the way for socio-economic and environmental transformation. This partnership embodies the country's commitment to tackling energy challenges in an inclusive and sustainable way, while pursuing its long-term development objectives.