Mauritania

Introduction

Mauritania is the primary host country for refugees from Mali, who have fled conflict and hardship since 2012, with continuing arrivals to this day.

At the beginning of 2026 according to Mauritanian authorities, more than 400,000 Malian refugees are in the country, placing considerable pressure on basic services and limited resources.  Around 110,000 Malian refugees have been living for over 15 years in Mbera camp, in the Hodh El Chargui region near the border with Mali, while an estimated 300,000 additional refugees live outside the camp, representing 1/3 of the total population of this region.

The UN Refugee Agency reported that more than 50,000 new refugees arrived in 2025, with arrivals increasing from late October 5 due to intensified fighting and blockades in Mali.

The region is already under strain from climate-related hazards such as:

• droughts and floods
• scarce resources
• agro-pastoral conflicts
• the low resilience of host communities

Amid increased arrivals, deteriorating food security, limited services, and heightened community tensions, humanitarian needs are particularly acute in terms of access to basic services such as water and shelter, protection, and food assistance. 

EU humanitarian aid aims to support forcibly displaced populations and vulnerable host communities while strengthening institutional and community capacities for disaster preparedness. 

Facts & figures

Through its humanitarian efforts, the EU provides vital support to those most in need.

EU humanitarian funding:

€164 million since 2007

What are the needs?

Mauritania hosts the largest refugee camp for Malians. Mbera camp, in the Hodh El Chargui region bordering Mali, is home to around 120,000 refugees (UNHCR, Feb. 2026), exceeding its capacity by 40,000 people. The camp is now larger than most Mauritanian cities, and over 80% of its residents are women and children. However, most refugees live outside the camp, scattered across more than 70 villages and informal settlements along the border. Humanitarian needs remain important, particularly in terms of access to basic services, food assistance and protection. 

A significant share of the Malian refugees has been living in Mauritania for many years. Yet, with escalating violence in Mali, where 5 million people (22% of the population) need humanitarian assistance in 2026 according to the UN, further refugee arrivals are expected. With limited prospects for return, many are likely to remain in Mauritania and gradually integrate into local communities. 

Impact on host communities

However, peaceful coexistence can be challenging in a context of scare resources and limited services. Expanding economic opportunities for both refugees and host communities, as well as supporting climate change adaptation, will be key to maintaining social cohesion and stability.

An estimated 58.4% of the population in Mauritania lives in multidimensional poverty, according to UNDP, meaning they experience overlapping deprivations in health, education, and living standards. In Hodh El Chargui, poverty and vulnerability are particularly acute. 

The Cadre Harmonisé projection for June-August 2026 identifies 42 areas in the stressed phase of food insecurity and 10 in a crisis, including 3 in the Hodh El Chargui region (Bassikounou, Nbeiket Lahwach, and Oualata).

Security situation and impact on livestock and livelihoods

Moreover, the deteriorating security situation in Mali has affected the mobility and livelihoods of pastoralist communities, who traditionally move across the border with their livestock in search of water and pasture. In a region characterised by long dry seasons, livestock mobility is a key coping mechanism that helps mitigate climatic, economic and security risks.

Since August, the closure of the Mali–Mauritania border has disrupted these movements, potentially trapping nearly 2 million livestock on the Mauritanian side and increasing pressure on already scarce pasture and water resources. This has led to rising food prices, heightened risks of conflict, and could result in significant livestock losses and increased humanitarian needs if the situation persists.

Mauritania has established a relatively favourable framework for refugee inclusion, notably in the areas of health, social protection, and employment. The population of Mbera camp already exceeds that of most Mauritanian cities and could evolve into a major urban centre in the South-East with sustained development investments.

How are we helping?

The EU has been providing humanitarian assistance in Mauritania since 2007, initially focusing on malnutrition. Following the rapid influx of refugees from Mali in 2012, and again in 2023, the EU expanded its humanitarian response to address the most urgent needs of the most vulnerable populations. 

For nearly 20 years, EU humanitarian aid has focused on regions with the highest levels of food insecurity, acute malnutrition and people in need. These efforts have also contributed to strengthening the capacity of Mauritanian institutions to respond to shocks.

In 2026, EU humanitarian aid allocated an initial €4.8 million in funding. The support addresses the urgent needs of Malian refugees, Mauritanian returnees and vulnerable host communities through:

• protection services, the priority in Hodh El Chargui
• food and emergency cash assistance
• water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) programmes
• shelter provision
• refugee registration, protection services, legal and psychosocial support
• disaster preparedness

The overarching objective is to meet immediate needs while strengthening local resilience and aligning with national policies and international partners - particularly other EU services - under a nexus approach, linking humanitarian and development efforts.

Strengthening synergies is essential to enable a responsible and gradual transition away from emergency aid, while supporting sustainable, long-term solutions to this protracted refugee crisis. In parallel, reinforcing preparedness and response systems, including early warning and social protection mechansms, is key to reducing the humanitarian vulnerabilities.

Since 2007, the EU has allocated €164 million in humanitarian aid to help refugees and vulnerable populations in Mauritania.