Islamic Republic of Mauritania: First Reviews Under the Arrangements under the Extended Credit Facility and the Extended Fund Facility, Requests for Modification of Performance Criteria and a Waiver of Nonobservance of Performance Criterion, and Request for an Arrangement Under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for the Islamic Republic of Mauritania

This paper highlights Islamic Republic of Mauritania’s First Reviews under the Arrangements under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) and the Extended Fund Facility (EFF), Requests for Modification of Performance Criteria and a Waiver of Nonobservance of Performance Criterion, and Request for an Arrangement under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF). Mauritania’s economic reform program supported by the IMF ECF/EFF arrangements aims to preserve macroeconomic stability, strengthen the fiscal and monetary policy frameworks, consolidate the foundations for sustainable, inclusive growth, and reduce poverty. Economic performance in 2022 has been positive, with robust real gross domestic product growth, decreasing inflation, and a narrowing current account deficit. Still, challenges related to infrastructure, governance, vulnerability to economic shocks and limited economic diversification constrain Mauritania’s economic development. The RSF arrangement will help build resilience to climate change and strengthen the policy framework to maximize synergies with other official financing and catalyze private financing. The RSF arrangement will support Mauritania’s efforts to strengthen its resilience to climate shocks, enhance its capacity to protect the vulnerable against climate shocks, and expedite the transition toward cleaner energy sources.