The Untapped Potential of Mauritania’s Entrepreneurial Ecosystem : Lessons from the Entrepreneur's Marathon
In Mauritania – a country dominated by the Sahara Desert and defined by tradition – players from across society are coming together to encourage innovation and set a new path for the country's development. From the public sector to local and i...
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| Format: | Report |
| Language: | English |
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World Bank, Washington, DC
2019
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| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/219931576608805025/The-Untapped-Potential-of-Mauritania-s-Entrepreneurial-Ecosystem-Lessons-from-the-Entrepreneurs-Marathon http://hdl.handle.net/10986/33099 |
| Summary: | In Mauritania – a country dominated by
the Sahara Desert and defined by tradition – players from
across society are coming together to encourage innovation
and set a new path for the country's development. From
the public sector to local and international businesses, as
well as the donor community, entrepreneurship is beginning
to emerge as a crucial element in any strategy to address
Mauritania's greatest challenges: socio-economic
inclusion, poverty reduction, youth employment, economic
diversification and climate change. Since independence, the
country has pursued a traditional state-driven model that
has failed to catalyze the necessary investments and private
sector-driven solutions to these problems. Due to structural
limitations of competition in the economy, the
country's private sector is a concentration of large
business groups that dominate the trade, banking and
procurement markets. New entrants are crowded out, with
formal micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in
Mauritania numbering a mere 3,000. Informal self-employment
and micro-businesses in agriculture, livestock and commerce
currently make up the vast majority of jobs among the
poorest households in Mauritania. Smaller independent firms
continue to encounter obstacles, discouraging the emergence
of local suppliers and directly impacting international
investors who face higher operating costs. Poor quality in
education and professional training reinforce these
challenges, limiting job opportunities even in expanding
sectors in the economy. A lack of expertise and practical
skills are compounded by complex labor regulations, making
it even harder for businesses to recruit and retain young
job-seeking Mauritanians. |
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