• Mauritania will recruit 3,000 civil servants through a fully digitalized system.

• Authorities will conduct online applications, automated diploma verification, tablet-based exams, and instant grading.

• Youth unemployment reached 23.22% in 2024, according to the World Bank.

The Council of Ministers of Mauritania met on Wednesday, February 25, and adopted a plan to fully digitalize the recruitment of 3,000 civil servants. Ahmed Salem Bede, Minister of Digital Transformation and Administrative Modernization, and Mariem Boïdel Hoummeid, Minister of Civil Service and Labor, presented the progress of the reform.

According to the official statement, candidates will submit applications online through the Khidamaty portal or via the National Commission for Competitive Examinations platform. Authorities will track each application in real time until the publication of results.

The statement specified: "The eligibility and authenticity of diplomas will be verified automatically. Exam questions will be generated instantly before each test. Written tests will be taken on tablets. Grading will be immediate, and appeals may be submitted remotely."

Authorities presented the reform as a response to criticism over opacity and delays in public examinations. The system, which officials designed in collaboration with the National Commission for Competitive Examinations, “ensures fairness and efficiency at every stage of the process,” according to the statement. The framework limits risks of fraud and irregularities while strengthening procedural transparency.

The reform unfolds against a backdrop of structural employment challenges. The World Bank reported that youth unemployment in Mauritania reached 23.22% in 2024, a level above the global average. A significant share of the workforce continues to operate in the informal sector.

Moreover, the Mauritanian News Agency reported that authorities signed a €36 million ($41.7 million) agreement in May 2025 with the Islamic Development Bank to support vocational training and employability under the 2023–2030 national strategy.

In this context, the digitalization of public recruitment complements broader efforts to strengthen skills, expand access to education, and promote workforce integration. The government aims to enhance administrative credibility, secure selection processes, and provide clearer employment prospects in a country where job creation remains central to the economic and social agenda.

This article was initially published in French by Félicien Houindo Lokossou

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum