Core area “Sustainable economic development, training and employment” Improving job opportunities through vocational education

    Vocational education has been expanding continually in Mauritania in recent years. However, it still plays a comparatively small role in the country’s education system. Germany is supporting the Mauritanian government in its efforts to further extend vocational training programmes across the country and thus improve employment and income opportunities for young people.

    Worker repairing locomotives of an iron ore company in Nouadhibou, Mauritania

    Worker repairing locomotives of an iron ore company in Nouadhibou, Mauritania

    Financial cooperation funds are being used to modernise, expand and equip vocational training schools. In addition, upskilling opportunities are being provided for vocational school teachers, and pilot projects for initial and ongoing training in the formal and informal sectors are being funded.

    With a view to improving the employment situation of young people in rural areas, Germany is also promoting initial and ongoing training of skilled workers in agro-forestry and animal husbandry.

    A woman in Togo harvests lettuce. She carries a toddler on her back.

    Special Initiative “Transformation of Agricultural and Food Systems”

    With funding provided under the BMZ’s Special Initiative “Transformation of Agricultural and Food Systems”, micro, small and medium enterprises in the area of artisanal fishing and aquaculture are being advised on how to make their production sustainable and increase their income.

    In the mining sector, the BMZ is assisting the Mauritanian government in increasing product diversity and developing new value chains. The focus of cooperation in this sector is on extracting and processing non-metallic resources such as phosphate and raw materials for construction. So far, the mining sector has focused mainly on the extraction of metal ores, which are directly exported and hardly ever processed within the country. Very little has been done up until now to make use of the potential for marketing non-metallic resources and generating employment.


    As at: 25/07/2023