With its new law adopted in 2022, Mauritania has embarked on a significant reform of its educational system, establishing compulsory and free schooling for children aged 6-15. However, significant progress is still needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in education by 2030 in this country, where the school-age population more than doubled between 1988 and 2020.

To help access to employment, IIEP-UNESCO Dakar has been working with the Mauritanian government to support vocational training policies, including the formation of a public-private partnership geared towards expanding youth employment and social inclusion.

As part of this public-private partnership, companies in three top economic sectors – mixed farming, construction and public works, and fishing – have identified a list of ‘priority jobs’ for three regions in the country.