Overview
Mauritania reported its first confirmed COVID-19 case on March 14, 2020.The COVID-19 crisis was met early with strict containment measures that help limit cases and fatalities, including suspension of all commercial flights into and from the country; closure of all land borders except for the transportation of goods; closure of schools, universities, and non-essential businesses, such as restaurants. Non-essential interregional movements of people and the Friday prayer were also suspended. A curfew was imposed throughout the country from 9 pm to 6am. The authorities stepped up imports of medical equipment and medicines.
Reopening of the economy. In May 2020, the government lifted several restrictions, including by opening most businesses, relaxing the curfew, and reauthorizing Friday prayer; with the latter measure being rescinded in mid-May until end-June following the spike in new infections. In September 2020, all the remaining restrictions were removed. However, some restrictions were subsequently re-imposed, following the gradual increase of new COVID-19 cases in November with the Health Minister alerting the population of a potential second wave. In particular, the government instructed (i) the closure of all schools and universities for two weeks; (ii) strict minimum presence of civil servants in the offices; and (iii) the suspension of public ceremonies. As a result, the numbers of new cases and deaths declined and most of the restrictions were lifted. Mauritania launched its vaccination campaign on March 25, 2021 with the aim to vaccinate about 2.677.870 people (about 63 percent of its population). It received approximately 448.000.000 doses from the Covax initiative, China and the UAE so far, of which about 28.519 doses were administered as of May 22, 2021 and 6.410 people are fully vaccinated. Following the uptick in new Covid-19 cases, the authorities have updated their vaccination and testing strategies and reimposed a curfew at midnight to prevent a third wave.
COVID-19 Restrictions
no data
Economic Measures
Key Policy Responses as of June 3, 2021
FISCAL
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On March 25, 2020, the government announced the creation of an emergency fund of about $80 million (1.1 percent of GDP) for urgent procurements of medical supplies and equipment; subsidies to 30,000 poor households; and financial support to small individual businesses. It also waived customs duties and taxes on imports of essential goods. On May 6, 2020, the government approved a supplemental budget with additional health, medical supplies, social protection, SME support, foodstuff stocks, and security-related expenditures to address the pandemic (about $260 million or 3.9 percent of GDP). To help provide critical resources for health and social protection programs, the IMF Board on April 23, 2020 granted to Mauritania an emergency financing of SDR 95.68 million (about $130 million) under the Rapid Credit Facility. The sixth and final review of the government program supported by the IMF Extended Credit Facility was completed on March 3, 2021, making available a final disbursement of SDR 16.56 million (about $23.5 million), in addition to the SDR 36.8 million disbursement (about $52.2 million) on September 2, 2020 upon completion of the fifth review. The country secured financing of around $ 95 million from the Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI) in 2020 and is expected to secure further relief under the two extensions of the DSSI in 2021. It has appealed to development partners for additional financing and debt relief.
MONETARY AND MACRO-FINANCIAL
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The central bank took measures to ease liquidity conditions and support the financing of the economy, including: a reduction in the policy rate from 6.5 percent to 5 percent; a reduction in the marginal lending rate from 9 percent to 6.5 percent; and a reduction in banks’ reserve requirements from 7 percent to 5 percent. The latter was increased back to 6 percent in December 2020.
Civic Freedom Tracker
BAN ON GATHERINGS
The Prime Minister and an Interministerial Committee announce their decision to suspend all events and demonstrations, and restrict border crossings. (See primary source or citation here)
Type: order
Date Introduced: 14 Mar 2020
Issue(s): Assembly
