The Untapped Potential of Mauritania's Entrepreneurial Ecosystem : Lessons from the Entrepreneur's Marathon.

Format:

Book

Government document

Author/Creator:

World Bank Group.

Series:

Private Sector Development, Privatization, and Industrial Policy.

World Bank e-Library.

Private Sector Development, Privatization, and Industrial Policy

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Access to Finance.

Business Environment.

Enterprise Development and Reform.

Gender.

Inequality.

Microenterprises.

Private Sector Development.

Private Sector Economics.

Secondary Education.

Small and Medium Size Enterprises.

Local Subjects:

Access to Finance.

Business Environment.

Enterprise Development and Reform.

Gender.

Inequality.

Microenterprises.

Private Sector Development.

Private Sector Economics.

Secondary Education.

Small and Medium Size Enterprises.

Other Title:

Untapped Potential of Mauritania’s Entrepreneurial Ecosystem

Place of Publication:

Washington, D.C. : The World Bank, 2019.

System Details:

data file

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.