• Mauritania signed a $446 million deal to build a large-scale sugar production complex.
• The project aims to produce 250,000 tonnes of sugar annually and meet 63% of national demand.
• The government will use 17,000 hectares of irrigated farmland in the Foum Gleita region.

Mauritania imports all its sugar, the nation’s second most expensive food import after edible oils. To curb this reliance, the government is moving to establish a robust local sugar industry.

On July 31, the Ministries of Economy and Finance and Agriculture formalized a partnership with a consortium led by Sudan-based conglomerate Al Badri, active in agribusiness and energy. The deal covers the creation of a $446 million agro-industrial sugar complex in the Foum Gleita region, southern Mauritania.

The initial development phase will leverage 17,000 hectares of farmland supported by irrigation from the Foum Gleita dam—Mauritania’s largest reservoir—to sustain the sugarcane plantations planned for the site.

According to the press release, production is expected to commence within three years of signing the 30-year contract, with authorities describing the project as a pivotal moment for Mauritania’s agricultural and industrial development. The government aims for this investment to meet up to 63% of the country’s sugar demand, which would translate to a production of nearly 250,000 tonnes annually.

Between 2019 and 2023, Mauritania imported an average of 398,800 tonnes of white sugar, according to data from the Directorate General of Customs. Until the new agro-industrial complex becomes operational, the country is likely to remain heavily reliant on imports, primarily from Brazil, Guatemala, and Algeria.

This article was initially published in French by Stéphanas Assocle

Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum