• IsDB approved $136 million in financing for Mauritania.

• Funds will support a maternal hospital and a power interconnection with Mali.

• The projects target healthcare access and regional energy integration.

The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) approved two financing packages for Mauritania on March 9 totaling €116.6 million (about $136 million) to strengthen health infrastructure and support regional energy integration.

The first financing, worth €61.4 million, will fund the construction and equipment of a reference hospital in Nouakchott specializing in maternal, neonatal, and child health. The facility aims to improve the quality of care and help reduce maternal mortality.

The second financing package of €55.2 million will support the Mauritania–Mali electricity interconnection project, which includes the development of solar power plants.

According to the bank, the initiative is intended to strengthen regional economic integration while expanding access to electricity from clean and renewable energy sources, in line with Mauritania’s national strategy for energy transition and lower production costs.

Mauritania has made progress in reducing maternal and neonatal mortality in recent years. The maternal mortality rate fell from 745 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2011 to 454 in 2019, while neonatal mortality declined from 29% in 2015 to 22% in 2019, according to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

Access to electricity, however, remains uneven. National coverage stands at around 55%, with 91% access in urban areas but only about 6% in rural regions.

To strengthen electricity supply, the Mauritanian Electricity Company signed a three-year agreement in December 2025 with Finnish group Wärtsilä to ensure the performance of a 34 MW thermal power plant in Nouadhibou and help stabilize the national grid.

According to Minister Abdallahi Ould Souleymane Ould Cheikh Sidiya, the projects align with President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani’s strategy to accelerate economic and social development and improve the quality of essential public services.

Ingrid Haffiny