The Islamic Republic of Mauritania, a country with a large land mass but a relatively small population, is contending with high youth unemployment (48.9% for men and 40.7% for women), high poverty (42%) and a relative lack of formal education.

Because Mauritania imports about 70 percent of its food, rising world food prices threaten economic and food security – particularly for the 42 percent of the population which lives below the poverty line. Furthermore, longstanding ethnic tensions and the presence of extremist groups around its borders pose ongoing security challenges, threatening the stability established since the 2009 democratic elections (following a 2008 military coup). In addition, approximately 50,000 Malian refugees remain in Mauritania, further putting a strain on existing national and international resources.