Summary
Strategically located between West Africa and the Maghreb, Mauritania plays a critical role in the region’s migration dynamics. As a country of departure, transit and destination, it represents a key crossing point for migrants heading for Europe, mainly via the West African Atlantic Route. Departures via the sea route from Mauritania and neighbouring countries have surged significantly over the recent years, with a consequent sharp increase in the number of boats disembarking along the Mauritanian coasts after failing to cross the Atlantic.
Part of a larger intervention supporting the operationalisation of the Joint Declaration establishing a Migration Partnership between the Islamic Republic of Mauritania and the European Union - signed in March 2024 – this project specifically aims to strengthen Mauritania’s national crisis response mechanism for disembarked individuals, ensuring full respect for their human dignity.
Activities
- Strengthening coordination mechanisms for migration-related emergencies
The activities under this first result area aim to enhance coordination mechanisms for migration-related emergencies, from disembarkation to the onward referral of migrants. ICMPD will support the Mauritanian Ministry of Interior and the General Delegation for Civil Protection (Délégation Générale à la Sécurité Civile et à la Gestion des Crises – DGSCGC) in several key tasks. These include conducting a study on the national legal and strategic framework for managing people on the move, specifically regarding disembarkation and onward referral, to clarify roles and responsibilities. ICMPD will support the implementation of the ‘National Preparedness and Response Framework for Emergencies and Natural Disasters,’ helping local governments develop their crisis response plans based on the Framework and in line with the national legislation. Additionally, applied training, including simulations of mass incident responses related to disembarkation, will be organised for local authorities in coastal areas. Lastly, a study visit to Morocco or Tunisia will be arranged for Mauritanian authorities to exchange good practices and lessons learnt in managing migrant arrivals.
- Reinforcing civil protection effective response
The focus of this second result area is on enhancing the intervention capacity of civil protection. Existing DGSCGC equipment to deal with emergencies related to migrant arrivals by sea will be supplemented by an additional 4x4 ambulance, a rural water tanker, a rescue boat, various rescue kits as well as personal protective equipment. Training sessions will also be organised to ensure the equipment is used and maintained efficiently.
This project is implemented within the framework of the Migration Partnership Facility (MPF), an EU-funded initiative managed by ICMPD in support of the external dimension of the EU migration policy. Through its grants and initiatives under the Technical Assistance and Support component, the MPF facilitates the execution of projects to strengthen dialogue and cooperation on migration and mobility between Member States and partner countries outside the EU.