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Mauritania’s third poverty reduction strategy paper provides a framework for an ambitious growth and poverty reduction agenda. The updated development perspective and principal objectives reflect the new economic and political realities to sustainably reduce poverty. Successful program implementation hinges on the government’s ownership and commitment. It will only succeed if the institutional framework remains stable, and the civil society is engaged on a permanent basis. Ensuring a broad social consensus for the strategy will make it easier to mobilize donor resources, thus easing financing constraints.

The report describes the participatory process and its impact, and analyzes its shortcomings. Mauritania's progress report provides a candid review and analysis of the implementation of the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP). Becasue poverty remains primarily a rural phenomenon in Mauritania, more emphasis should have been placed on growth in the rural areas. Numerous actions have been taken in the context of the implementation of the ongoing reform of the semi-urban and rural water sector. Actions in the area of urban development are also welcomed.

The Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper, whose implementation has now reached the second year, has been the key instrument in Mauritania's economic, social, and institutional development policy. The pursuit of policies to accelerate growth, maintain macroeconomic stability, and enhance the competitiveness of the economy have thus made it possible to attain an economic growth rate of about 3.3 percent notwithstanding an unfavorable international economic climate. Annual inflation has been contained at 4 percent.

SUMMARYRift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is an emerging pathogen of major concern throughout Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, affecting both livestock and humans. In the past recurrent epidemics were reported in Mauritania and studies focused on the analysis of samples from affected populations during acute outbreaks. To verify characteristics and presence of RVFV during non-epidemic periods we implemented a multi-stage serological and molecular analysis. Serum samples of small ruminants, cattle and camels were obtained from Mauritania during an inter-epidemic period in 2012–2013. This paper presents a comparative analysis of potential variations and shifts of antibody presence and the capability of inter-epidemic infections in Mauritanian livestock. We observed distinct serological differences between tested species (seroprevalence: small ruminants 3·8%, cattle 15·4%, camels 32·0%). In one single bovine from Nouakchott, a recent RVF infection could be identified by the simultaneous detection of IgM antibodies and viral RNA. This study indicates the occurrence of a low-level enzootic RVFV circulation in livestock in Mauritania. Moreover, results indicate that small ruminants can preferably act as sentinels for RVF surveillance.

Despite a relatively high GDP growth rate over the past decade (2000–10), economic growth in Mauritania has not been able to make a significant dent in poverty. Rapid and sustained poverty reduction requires inclusive growth that allows people to contribute to and benefit from expanding economic activity. Mauritania needs to make greater progress toward inclusive growth by enhancing the distributional impact of public spending and by improving the quality of pro-poor spending. The Executive Board recommends effective monetary policies to meet the challenges.

BackgroundSince the novel coronavirus emerged in late 2019, the scientific and public health community around the world have sought to better understand, surveil, treat, and prevent the disease, COVID-19. In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), many countries responded aggressively and decisively with lockdown measures and border closures. Such actions may have helped prevent large outbreaks throughout much of the region, though there is substantial variation in caseloads and mortality between nations. Additionally, the health system infrastructure remains a concern throughout much of SSA, and the lockdown measures threaten to increase poverty and food insecurity for the subcontinent’s poorest residents. The lack of sufficient testing, asymptomatic infections, and poor reporting practices in many countries limit our understanding of the virus’s impact, creating a need for better and more accurate surveillance metrics that account for underreporting and data contamination.ObjectiveThe goal of this study is to improve infectious disease surveillance by complementing standardized metrics with new and decomposable surveillance metrics of COVID-19 that overcome data limitations and contamination inherent in public health surveillance systems. In addition to prevalence of observed daily and cumulative testing, testing positivity rates, morbidity, and mortality, we derived COVID-19 transmission in terms of speed, acceleration or deceleration, change in acceleration or deceleration (jerk), and 7-day transmission rate persistence, which explains where and how rapidly COVID-19 is transmitting and quantifies shifts in the rate of acceleration or deceleration to inform policies to mitigate and prevent COVID-19 and food insecurity in SSA.MethodsWe extracted 60 days of COVID-19 data from public health registries and employed an empirical difference equation to measure daily case numbers in 47 sub-Saharan countries as a function of the prior number of cases, the level of testing, and weekly shift variables based on a dynamic panel model that was estimated using the generalized method of moments approach by implementing the Arellano-Bond estimator in R.ResultsKenya, Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and South Africa have the most observed cases of COVID-19, and the Seychelles, Eritrea, Mauritius, Comoros, and Burundi have the fewest. In contrast, the speed, acceleration, jerk, and 7-day persistence indicate rates of COVID-19 transmissions differ from observed cases. In September 2020, Cape Verde, Namibia, Eswatini, and South Africa had the highest speed of COVID-19 transmissions at 13.1, 7.1, 3.6, and 3 infections per 100,0000, respectively; Zimbabwe had an acceleration rate of transmission, while Zambia had the largest rate of deceleration this week compared to last week, referred to as a jerk. Finally, the 7-day persistence rate indicates the number of cases on September 15, 2020, which are a function of new infections from September 8, 2020, decreased in South Africa from 216.7 to 173.2 and Ethiopia from 136.7 to 106.3 per 100,000. The statistical approach was validated based on the regression results; they determined recent changes in the pattern of infection, and during the weeks of September 1-8 and September 9-15, there were substantial country differences in the evolution of the SSA pandemic. This change represents a decrease in the transmission model R value for that week and is consistent with a de-escalation in the pandemic for the sub-Saharan African continent in general.ConclusionsStandard surveillance metrics such as daily observed new COVID-19 cases or deaths are necessary but insufficient to mitigate and prevent COVID-19 transmission. Public health leaders also need to know where COVID-19 transmission rates are accelerating or decelerating, whether those rates increase or decrease over short time frames because the pandemic can quickly escalate, and how many cases today are a function of new infections 7 days ago. Even though SSA is home to some of the poorest countries in the world, development and population size are not necessarily predictive of COVID-19 transmission, meaning higher income countries like the United States can learn from African countries on how best to implement mitigation and prevention efforts.International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)RR2-10.2196/21955

Summary In order to collect epidemiological data about the Rift Valley fever epidemic in Mauritania, we decided to use the filter paper method. The mean recovery level of specific antibodies from filter paper, tested using an immunoenzymatic method, is around one fourth. Taking the mean h˦matocrit into account, we estimated the extract square with a 1/300 dilution. This method was very useful for epidemiological studies, we observed few patient refusals, but it is necessary to know the exact specificity of the antibodies.

SUMMARYNewcastle disease (ND) is one of the most important poultry diseases worldwide and can lead to annual losses of up to 80% of backyard chickens in Africa. All bird species are considered susceptible to ND virus (NDV) infection but little is known about the role that wild birds play in the epidemiology of the virus. We present a long-term monitoring of 9000 wild birds in four African countries. Overall, 3·06% of the birds were PCR-positive for NDV infection, with prevalence ranging from 0% to 10% depending on the season, the site and the species considered. Our study shows that ND is circulating continuously and homogeneously in a large range of wild bird species. Several genotypes of NDV circulate concurrently in different species and are phylogenetically closely related to strains circulating in local domestic poultry, suggesting that wild birds may play several roles in the epidemiology of different NDV strains in Africa. We recommend that any strategic plan aiming at controlling ND in Africa should take into account the potential role of the local wild bird community in the transmission of the disease.

republié par P. Bonte et H. Claudot-Hawad (éds) dans les Cahiers de l'IREMAM, n° 13/14 (« Elites du monde nomade touareg et maure »), 2000, Aix-en-Provence, pp. 167-184; International audience; Dans la Mauritanie contemporaine, la revendication de l'arabe fait figure de principe fondamental de l'entité maure. Pourtant les populations sahariennes du Sahara occidental furent longtemps berbérophones et mirent sans doute plusieurs siècles à changer de « langue maternelle ». C'est d'abord sur cette arabisation dialectale que je m'interroge, en montrant qu'on ne peut pas la couper complètement du mouvement d'islamisation qui l'a précédée et qui semble avoir influé fortement sur l'image que ces populations pouvaient se faire d'elles-mêmes. Si, à partir du 18ᵉ siècle, l'arabité culturelle de cette région prend des contours plus nets, il faut prêter attention au fait que, derrière l'unité apparente du terme « arabe », se cache une dualité mouvante — ce qu'on appelle la diglossie arabe littéraire/dialecte —, à laquelle correspondent deux formes culturelles distinctes. Je propose ici de caractériser la culture savante des zwâye comme « aurale » (par delà la dichotomie écrit/oral) par opposition à l'oralité de la culture populaire en dialecte, telle qu'elle s'incarne notamment chez les musiciens-chanteurs. Dans la dernière partie, j'étudie l'évolution récente de la diglossie et les tentatives faites pour échapper aux difficultés posées par cette opposition, qu'elles restent à l'intérieur du domaine arabe ou qu'elles choisissent d'en sortir. Là encore le poids de l'idéologie se fait sentir et les représentations des locuteurs influent sur leurs productions langagières.

This paper considers the ongoing burden corruption creates in the nation of Mauritania. Since gaining independence from France in 1960, the country has experienced more than ten attempted or realized military coup d’ etats. This instability created an atmosphere in which massive corruption took root and prospered within every sector of society. After more than sixty years as an independent nation, and despite enormous pressure from international governments, donors, and NGO’s, corruption does not appear to be lessening, as annual “perception of corruption” indices continue to reveal. The cost of such activities is staggering. Despite the country’s vast economic potential based on a bounty of natural resources including extensive iron ore deposits, generous natural gas reserves, large scale fishing rights and more, Mauritania remains among the world’s least advanced developing countries, ranking on the low end of human development indices. While poor governance can be blamed for a portion of this failure, the primary culprit is greed. Corruption and classism keep the upper classes wealthy and powerful, while all others remain poverty stricken, illiterate, and in poor health. Keywords: corruption, bribery, patronage, judiciary, gifts, favoritism, Mauritania. Title: Political Corruption Cripples Mauritania’s Societal and Economic Development Author: Shaul M. Gabbay International Journal of Social Science and Humanities Research ISSN 2348-3156 (Print), ISSN 2348-3164 (online) Vol. 10, Issue 2, April 2022 - June 2022 Page No: 205-209 Research Publish Journals Website: www.researchpublish.com Published Date: 20-May-2022 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6566205 Paper Download Link: https://www.researchpublish.com/papers/political-corruption-cripples-mauritanias-societal-and-economic-development, International Journal of Social Science and Humanities Research ISSN 2348-3156 (Print), ISSN 2348-3164 (online) Vol. 10, Issue 2, April 2022 - June 2022 Page No: 205-209 Research Publish Journals Website: www.researchpublish.com, {"references":["[1]\tCarnegie Endowment for International Peace. Can Mauritania Protect Its Political Stability? 17 September 2020. 10 March 2022.","[2]\tFreedom House. Freedom in the World 2021. 2021. 2022.","[3]\tGabbay, Shaul M. \"Hereditary Slavery Shackles Mauritania.\" Academic Paper. 2021.","[4]\tGAN Integrity: Risk & Compliance. Mauritania Corruption Report. New York, Copenhagen, London: Gain Integrity, 2020.","[5]\tGiardino, Carrie. Mauritania Vows to End Corruption. Audio. Washington, DC: Voice of America, 2009.","[6]\tJasmin Chakeri, Nicola Pontara, Manuela Francisco. Mauritania: Anti-Corruption Study. Study. Washington, DC: World Bank, 2009.","[7]\tMkhaitir, Mohamed Cheikh Ould. Writing was My Way of Fighting Against Untouchability Vidya Bhushan Rawat. 5 Augst 2021.","[8]\tSherpa NGO. Corruption in Mauritania: A Gigantic Evaporation System. Legal Opinion. Paris: Sherpa Org, 2013.","[9]\tSutton,John.https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2012/03/world/mauritania.slaverys.last.stronghold/index.html. March 2012. 2021.","[10]\tThe Economist. \"Mauritania May Be Changing for the Better.\" The Economist 10 June 10 2021.","[11]\tThurston, Alex. \"A Power Struggle in Mauritania Comes to a Head.\" World Politics Review 22 June 2021.","[12]\tTransparency International. Corruption Perceptions Index. Index. Berlin: Transparency International, 2021.","[13]\tWorld Bank. Mauritania: Anti-Corruption Study. Report. Washington DC: World Bank, 2008.","[14]\tWorldData.info. Corruption in Mauritania. 9 February 2022. 9 February 2022."]}

Structural breaks have attracted considerable attention recently, especially in light of the financial crisis, Great Recession, the COVID-19 pandemic, and war. While structural breaks pose significant econometric challenges, machine learning provides an incisive tool for detecting and quantifying breaks. The current paper presents a unified framework for analyzing breaks; and it implements that framework to test for and quantify changes in precipitation in Mauritania over 1919–1997. These tests detect a decline of one third in mean rainfall, starting around 1970. Because water is a scarce resource in Mauritania, this decline—with adverse consequences on food production—has potential economic and policy consequences.

Drawing on empirical ethnographic research conducted in three resettled areas in Nouakchott (Mauritania), our paper aims to enrich the debate on land formalization, attempting to understand the effects of slum upgrading programs and the titling process. In a context of securing land tenure as upheld by international institutions, the paper questions the implementation of these titling programs, which aim to deliver secure tenure and, more broadly, achieve economic development. It appeals for an analysis of how poor people react to titling policies in a context of highly complex relationships between formal and informal land status. Our case studies show that formal deeds do not necessarily lead to secure tenure. For the impoverished households who have withstood resettlements, these titling practices can be seen as a way to improve their livelihoods or, on the contrary, as breeding grounds for new forms of vulnerability. Moreover, these elements can also be perceived as triggers for encroachments between the State and the law and, at times, a reason to claim new rights.

Using manufacturing and services firm-level data for 30 sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries, this paper shows that taxation is not a significant driver for the location of foreign firms in SSA, while other investment climate factors, such as infrastructure, human capital, and insitutions, are. By analyzing disaggregate FDI data, the paper establishes that, while there is considerable contrast in behavior between vertical FDI (foreign firms producing for export) and horizontal FDI (foreign firms producing for local markets), taxation is not a key determinant for either type of FDI. Horizontal FDI is attracted to areas with higher trade regulations, highlighting interest in protected markets. Furthermore, horizontal FDI is affected more by financing and human capital constraints, and less by infrastructure and institutional constraints, than is vertical FDI.

Yönetim ve endüstriyel organizasyon bilimleri alanında yapılan çalışmalar, kuruluşların başlangıcında optimal kuruluş yeri seçiminin önemini ve bu seçimin üretim ve sonuçlara ciddi tesir ettiğini ortaya çıkarmıştır. Bu nedenle bir kuruluş başlatırken, başka herhangi bir mevzuyla ilgilenmeden öncellikle kuruluş yeri seçimiyle alakalı geniş bir çalışma yapmanın zarureti ortaya çıkmıştır.Bu çalışmaya bizi sevk eden, kuruluşların optimal kuruluş yeri seçimini etkileyen faktörleri ve düşünceleri, bu faktörleri değerlendirme (ölçme) yollarını ve farklı kuruluş yerlerini kıyaslamayı göstermektir. Bu çalışmada Moritanya balıkçılık sektörüne ait güncel veriler kullanılmıştır (Nouakchott, Nouadhbou, Tanit ve Peka şehirleri). Buna göre sonuçlar özetlenmiş, tavsiye ve teklifler sunulmuştur. Bu çalışmayla sanayi kuruluşları ve diğerleri için optimal kuruluş yeri seçimini hedefleyen geçmiş çalışmalara bir katkı sağlanmak istenmiştir. The scientific advance in the fields of administration and industrial organization proved the importance of paying proper attention to the subject of choosing the most suitable location when establishing enterprises. The location has its effect on production and results. This shows the necessity of conducting proper studies in order to choose the best location for enterprises as a long- term crucial decision prior to any other executive procedure.This paper identifies the different factors and considerations that affect the subject of choosing the best location and the methods of evaluating these factors as well as the properties of each location depending on field studies of Fishing Sector in Mauritania (Nouakchott, Nouadhibou, Tanit and Peka). The paper reaches some conclusions and provides some suggestions and recommendations regarding the choice of the proper location for industrial establishments and others. 76

Although the Buprestid fauna of the Sahel is relatively well-known many new species have been discovered in this region in the course of the last decades. Also many new species of the tribe Anthaxiini, whose life cycle is connected with the plant genus Acacia (Fabaceae), have been described since the last (and first) comprehensive study by Mateu (1972). This exhaustive paper deals with all insects developing in (or living on) Acacia spp. During the project dealing with the pests of the genus Acacia in Mauritania and Benin run by J. F. Vayssieres (IITA), a new species of Anthaxia Eschscholtz, 1829 was discovered; the description of this new species is given in this paper.

International audience; Maritime governance stakes are important in West Africa, if only due to the dominant role of fisheries, which coastal populations mainly depend on. In this context, with reference to the fishery sector mostly studied in two countries (Guinea and Mauritania), this paper aims to identify and synthesize the challenges to be met towards developing the governance of marine spaces. To this end, the analysis is based on field knowledge, which provides input into a grid set according to the various integration levels of the concept of ICZM. This paper thus reports the major methodological obstacles to be overcome, commensurate to the stakes insofar as marine policies can and must contribute to the economic and social development of this region.

Background Anopheles multicolor is known to be present in the arid areas of Africa north of the Sahara Desert, especially in oases. To date, its presence in Mauritania has not been reported. Here, we present the first record of its presence in Nouakchott, the capital of Mauritania. The larvae of An. multicolor, together with those of An. arabiensis, the major malaria vector in the city, were found thriving in highly saline surface water collections. Methods Entomological surveys were carried out during 2016–2017 in Nouakchott. Mosquito larval habitats were investigated through larval surveys while indoor resting culicid fauna were collected using hand-held aspirator. Physicochemical parameters of the larval habitats were measured on-site, at the time mosquitoes were collected. Larvae and pupae were reared to adults in the insectaries. Morphological and polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methods were used to identify newly emerged adults. Batches of fourth-instar larvae were used to assess salinity tolerance by exposing them to increasing concentrations of NaCl, and mortality was monitored throughout development. Results Morphological and molecular results confirmed that the specimens were An. multicolor and An. arabiensis. Sequences of 24 An. multicolor adult mosquitoes showed 100% nucleotide identity with the published sequences of An. multicolor from Iran. The physicochemical analysis of the water from the two larval habitats revealed highly saline conditions, with NaCl content ranging between 16.8 and 28.9 g/l (i.e. between c.50–80% seawater). Anopheles multicolor and An. arabiensis fourth-instar larvae survival rates at 17.5 g/l NaCl were 86.5% and 75%, respectively. Anopheles arabiensis larvae showed variable levels of salt tolerance according to the larval habitat. Adult An. multicolor specimens were collected resting indoor at low frequency (0.7%) compared to the other culicid mosquitoes. Conclusions To the best of our knowledge, this paper is the first report of An. multicolor in Mauritania, extending the known distributional range of the species to the south, as well as to the west. Highly salt-tolerant populations of An. arabiensis and An. multicolor were observed. Because salt-water collections are widespread in Nouakchott, the relevance of these findings for the dynamics and epidemiology of malaria transmission needs to be assessed.

In the dominant livestock systems of Sahelian countries herds have to move across territories. Their mobility is often a source of conflict with farmers in the areas crossed, and helps spread diseases such as Rift Valley Fever. Knowledge of the routes followed by herds is therefore core to guiding the implementation of preventive and control measures for transboundary animal diseases, land use planning and conflict management. However, the lack of quantitative data on livestock movements, together with the high temporal and spatial variability of herd movements, has so far hampered the production of fine resolution maps of animal movements. This paper proposes a general framework for mapping potential paths for livestock movements and identifying areas of high animal passage potential for those movements. The method consists in combining the information contained in livestock mobility networks with landscape connectivity, based on different mobility conductance layers. We illustrate our approach with a livestock mobility network in Senegal and Mauritania in the 2014 dry and wet seasons., Comment: 12 pages, 10 figures

This paper deals with the meanings of compensation in the Maghreb, based on the example of blood money (diya). I present the ways in which diya is applied in different countries and contexts. It is thus integrated into the penal code and judicial practice in Mauritania and Sudan, while in Algeria and Morocco it is not enshrined in criminal law and is sometimes used, even today, outside (and in addition to) judicial mechanisms. I show that this is a practice that is evolving and adapting to the transformations of societies (evolution of amounts according to crimes, progressive erasure of distinctions according to the sex, age and social status of the victim and the offender). The analysis of diya, between social groups, will allow us to identify similarities and differences with compensation when it is provided by the State or the political authorities of a country., Cet article porte sur les significations de la compensation au Maghreb, à partir de l’exemple du prix du sang (diya). Je présente les manières dont la diya est appliquée selon les pays et les contextes. Elle est ainsi intégrée au code pénal et à la pratique judiciaire en Mauritanie et au Soudan, alors qu’en Algérie et au Maroc elle n’est pas inscrite dans le droit pénal et est utilisée parfois, encore de nos jours, en dehors (et en complément) des mécanismes judiciaires. Je montre qu’il s’agit d’une pratique qui évolue et qui s’adapte aux transformations des sociétés (évolution des montants selon les crimes, effacement progressif des distinctions selon le sexe, l’âge et le statut social de la victime et du coupable). L’analyse de la diya entre groupes sociaux nous permettra de dégager les similitudes et différences avec l’indemnisation lorsque celle-ci est le fait de l’État ou des autorités politiques d’un pays.

Climate variability and change are recognised as a major threat for West African agriculture, particularly for smallholder farmers. Moreover, population pressure, poverty, and food insecurity, are worsening the vulnerability of production systems to climate risks. Application of Climate Services in agriculture, specifically Agrometeorological Services, is acknowledged as a valuable innovation to assist decision-making and develop farmers' specific adaptive capacities. In West Africa, the World Meteorological Organisation and National Meteorological Services deployed considerable efforts in the development of Agrometeorological Services. Nevertheless, the impacts of such services on West African farming communities are still largely unknown. This paper aims to delineate the added value of agrometeorological services for farmers within the Agriculture Innovation System of Mauritania. The results of this quali-quantitative assessment demonstrate that farmers use agrometeorological information for a variety of choices: making strategic choice on the seed variety and on the geographical distribution of plots, choosing the most appropriate planting date, better tuning crop development cycle with the rhythm of the rains and choosing favourable periods for different cultural operations. Globally, the effects of all these good practices can be summarized by an increase of crops productivity and a decrease of cropping costs (including opportunity cost) in terms of inputs and working time.

Today, Bilād-Shinqīṭ or Mauritania is often portrayed as an unparalleled center of classical Islamic tradition supposedly untouched by modernity. While previous scholarship has concerned itself mostly with Mauritania’s local intellectual history on one hand and its recent global fame on the other, in this paper, I document instead how, in less than two centuries, Mauritania has become not only a point of scholarly reference and symbolic/representational space of excellence in Islamic knowledge, but also one with an astonishing amount of global reach. Thus, I explore the ways in which Mauritania has continued to asserts its relevance and scholarly authority on a global scale. Drawing on a variety of historical, literary, and anthropological sources, I historicize the rise and mythologization of Mauritania as a peerless center of traditional sacred scholarship. I specifically examine how a number of widely different Muslim actors under changing circumstances continue to invoke, perform and re-invent Shinqīṭ/Mauritania. In documenting what I call Global Shinqīt over the longue durée, rather than simply illustrate how the so-called Muslim peripheries shape central traits of transnational normative Islamic authority, I argue instead that mobility, historical circumstances, and scholarly performance combined are at least as instrumental in the credible articulation of authoritative Islamic knowledge as normative discourses issued by supposedly central institutions, personalities, and religious bodies located in the so-called “heartland of Islam.” In so doing, I destabilize the center/periphery framework altogether in order to explore how Islamic religious authority is actually construed and operates under shifting cultural and political conditions.

The history of the Western Sahara has been marked by several events that have contributed to the protracted refugee situation in which the Sahrawi people have found themselves since 1975: the Spanish colonization and the subsequent decolonization process, the armed struggles between the indigenous population and the states of Morocco and Mauritania to occupy Western Saharan territory, assassinations and repression of the Sahrawi population, and the economic interests of external agents with regards to mineral resources. Twenty-five years ago, in the hostile environment of the Sahrawi refugee camps, a nursing school was founded. Essentially depending on foreign aid, this school has been responsible for training nursing professionals to meet the healthcare needs of the population. The aim of this paper is to provide an approach to the origin and evolution of nursing education for the Sahrawi refugee camps. The Sahrawi are the only refugee camps in the world to host such nursing schools., CTS-990, Funded by the ANDALUSIAN AGENCY FOR COOPERATION IN INTERNATIONALDEVELOPMENT, Junta de Andalucía, Spain, grant number: 2014DEC008

The history of the Saharian conflict still contains some aspects to be studied, despite the number of essays that have been published in recent years on the subject. Among them, some actors who have gone almost unnoticed, at least for the Spanish historiography. Mauritania is one of them. This paper analyzes the role of that seemingly weak young country in the Sahara crisis making use of US and French diplomatic sources. Its motivations, the evolution of its positions and the political shift from the extreme defense of the principle of self-determination for the Sahara, along with Algeria, to its participation with Morocco in an adventure whose result will be key in the drift of the young Republic towards the abyss. All this process under the examination and/or action of two powers present in the conflict, to a greater or lesser extent: the US and France. A pesar del número de obras que se han publicado en los últimos años sobre el tema, en la historia del conflicto del Sahara quedan aún aspectos por estudiar. Entre ellos algunos actores que, al menos para la historiografía española, han pasado casi desapercibidos; Mauritania es uno de ellos. Haciendo uso de fuentes diplomáticas estadounidenses y francesas, este trabajo analiza el papel de aquel joven país, en apariencia débil, en la crisis del Sahara. Se revisan sus motivaciones, la evolución de sus posicionamientos y el giro político que le lleva desde la defensa a ultranza del principio de autodeterminación para el Sahara, con Argelia, hasta su participación, con Marruecos, en una aventura cuyo resultado va a ser clave en la deriva de la joven República hacia el abismo. Todo ello bajo el examen y/o acción de dos potencias presentes, en mayor o menor medida, en el conflicto: EE. UU. y Francia.

Background: The United Nations Assembly adopted the Sustainable Development Goals to succeed the Millennium Development Goals in September 2015. From a European perspective, the development of health in the countries of North Africa are of special interest as a critical factor of overall social development in Europe’s Mediterranean partners. In this paper, we address the mortality related SDG-3 targets, the likelihood to achieve them until 2030 and analyze how they are defined. Methods: We projected mortality trends from 2000–2015 to 2030, based on mortality estimates by inter-agency groups and the WHO in mother and child health, non-communicable diseases, and road traffic mortality. The gap analysis compares the time remaining until 2030 to the time needed to complete the target assuming a linear trend of the respective indicator. A delay of not more than 3.75 years is considered likely to achieve the target. Results: The SDG-3 targets of a Maternal Mortality Ratio below 70 per 100 000 live births and an U5MR below 25 per 1 000 live births have been achieved by Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia. Libya and Tunisia have also achieved the target for Newborn Mortality with Egypt close to achieving it as well. Algeria and Morocco are generally on track for most of the indicators, including deaths from non-communicable diseases and suicide rates; however, all of the countries are lagging when it comes to deadly Road Traffic Injuries for 2030. Mauritania is the only North African country which is not likely to reach the 2030 targets for any of the mortality indicators. Conclusions: Although mortality statistics may be incomplete there is an impressive gradient from East to West showing Mauritania and deadly road traffic injuries as the most problematic areas. Given the large differences between countries baselines, we consider it preferable to set realistic targets to be achieved until 2030.

High natural resource prices in recent years have resulted in sizeable increases in fiscal revenue for many resource-exporting countries in sub-Saharan Africa. However, this revenue source is volatile, and arguably these countries should also rely on other forms of taxation to help fund public expenditure. This paper asks whether the availability of higher resource revenue in these countries has led to lower taxation effort of other revenue categories. The question is analyzed both in terms of the relationship between non-resource tax revenue and resource revenue, and between non-resource tax revenue and statutory tax rates. The paper finds evidence suggesting that nonresource revenue is negatively influenced by a higher resource revenue-to-GDP ratio. The lower take up of nonresource taxes in resource-rich countries is correlated with higher levels of corruption in these countries, suggesting weaker institutions affect nonresource revenue through incentives for tax evasion and/or large tax exemptions as argued in the literature.

This paper discusses the Islamic Republic of Mauritania’s Sixth Review under the Three-Year Extended Credit Facility Arrangement and Request of Nonobservance of Performance Criterion. Mauritania’s current account deficit has been significantly widened due to higher infrastructure and mining-related imports. Planned projects are concentrated in agriculture, energy, and infrastructure—all three sectors with large investment needs and in line with Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper priorities. Nonrenewable resources are playing an important role in the economy, but the fiscal policy formulation does not incorporate the challenges associated with resource revenue exhaustibility and volatility and, therefore, does not prevent pro-cyclical fiscal policy.

The Middle East and Central Asia’s economic growth potential is slowing faster than in other emerging and developing regions, dampening hopes for reducing persistent unemployment and improving the region’s generally low living standards. Why? And is it possible to alter this course? This paper addresses these questions by estimating potential growth, examining its supply-side drivers, and assessing which of them could be most effective in raising potential growth. The analysis reveals that the region’s potential growth is expected to slow by ¾ of a percentage point more than the EMDC average over the next five years. The reasons behind this slowdown differ across the region. Lower productivity growth drives the slowdown in the Caucasus and Central Asia and is also weighing on growth across the Middle East (MENAP); while a lower labor contribution to potential growth is the main driver in MENAP. Moving forward, given some natural constraints on labor, total factor productivity growth is key to unlocking the region’s higher growth potential. For oil importers, raising physical capital accumulation through greater investment will also play an important role.

Ethnopharmacological relevance Mauritania is a country in which few ethnobotanical studies have been conducted and consequently the ethnomedical data is scarce. Since the geographical region reflects the transition between tropical and Northern Africa, influenced by the Mediterranean floristic region, the traditional knowledge was influenced by several cultures from tropical Africa as well as Arab, Berber and Islamic societies. Aim of the study This paper aims to explore and compile the diversity of ethnomedical knowledge in one of the regions of Mauritania and to compare the data with similar studies from surrounding territories. Materials and methods Surveys and interviews were carried out in 11 villages of Adrar province in northern Mauritania. Data were collected through open, semi-structured interviews (with individuals and focus groups). A sample of 120 people aged between 20 and 70 years, including 24 herbalists and 28 traditional healers was included. Results Ethnomedical data for 68 plant species belonging to 27 families were obtained. They are used to treat 50 health conditions grouped in 14 pathological groups. Remedies for digestive system disorders, skin problems and respiratory ailments were among the most frequent indications. Leaves were the most frequently used plant part and remedies generally used as a powder for the various applications and a total of 2’317 use reports were gathered. About 55% of the reported species were not cited previously in the literature focusing on Mauritania and neighbouring countries. Moreover, only 6 species are also cited by Ibn al-Baytar (13th century CE). Conclusions This work shows a promising perspective for future studies, shedding light on the richness and the risk for conservation of traditional knowledge of herbal medicine in Mauritania.

International audience; Background: Mauritania is one of the African countries with ongoing malaria transmission where data on insecticide resistance of local malaria vectors are limited despite an increasing use of long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLINs) as the main intervention for vector control. This study presents an evaluation of the level of insecticide resistance of Anopheles arabiensis in Nouakchott. Methods: Anopheles gambiae (s.l.) larvae were collected in breeding sites during the rainy season (August-September) in 2015 and 2016 from two selected sites in Nouakchott and reared until emergence. Adult anopheline mosquitoes were tested against malathion (5%), bendiocarb (0.1%), permethrin (0.75%) and deltamethrin (0.05%) using standard World Health Organization (WHO) insecticide-impregnated papers. PCR assays were used for the identification of An. gambiae (s.l.) sibling species as well as knockdown resistance (kdr). Results: The mean knockdown times 50% (KDT50) and 95% (KDT95) were 66 +/- 17 and 244 +/- 13 min, respectively, for permethrin in 2015. The KDT50 and the KDT95 were 39 +/- 13 and 119 +/- 13 min, respectively, for deltamethrin. The KDT50 and the KDT95 doubled for both molecules in 2016. The mortality rates 24 h post-exposure revealed that An. arabiensis populations in Nouakchott were fully susceptible to bendiocarb and malathion in 2015 as well as in 2016, while they were resistant to permethrin (51.9% mortality in 2015 and 24.1% mortality in 2016) and to deltamethrin (83.7% mortality in 2015 and 39.1% mortality in 2016). The molecular identification showed that Anopheles arabiensis was the only malaria vector species collected in Nouakchott in 2015 and 2016. Both the West and East African kdr mutant alleles were found in An. arabiensis mosquitoes surviving exposure to pyrethroid insecticide, with a high rate of homozygous resistant genotypes (54.3% for the West African kdr mutation and 21.4% for the East African kdr mutation) and a significant departure from Hardy-Weinberg proportions (chi(2) 134, df = 3, P < 0.001). Conclusions: The study showed high levels of pyrethroid resistance in An. arabiensis populations in Nouakchott and presence of both West and East African kdr alleles in the resistant phenotype. These results highlight a need for routine monitoring of susceptibility of malaria vector populations to insecticides used in public health programs.

The rapid growth in China’s domestic investment in recent decades has generated a large appetite for global goods, including from sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This paper estimates the impact of changes in China’s investment growth on SSA’s exports. Although rising trading links with China have allowed African countries to diversify their export base across countries away from advanced economies, they have also led SSA countries to become more susceptible to spillovers from China. Based on panel data analysis, a one percentage point increase (decline) in China’s domestic investment growth is associated with an average 0.6 percentage point increase (decline) in SSA countries’ export growth. This impact is larger for resource-rich countries, especially oil exporters. These effects could be mitigated, however, to the extent that countries can reorient their exports.

The consonantal system of Zenaga is peculiar in that it tends, first, towards « openness » (by relaxation of the articulatory mode), then towards palatalization. The first of these tendencies suggests that Mauritanian Berber may be likened to the « spirantizing » dialects found in North Africa ; the second, that it resembles the Tamacheq spoken in Aïr. Considered in all its detail however, Zenaga shows many signs of originality, especially as regards the forms taken by its gemination correlations : stop vs. continuant of course, but also strident vs. non-strident, sibilant vs. hushing or liquid vs. gliding segments., Le système consonantique du zénaga est particulier en ce qu'il tend, premièrement, à l'« ouverture » (par relâchement du mode d'articulation), puis à la palatalisation. La première de ces tendances suggère que le berbère de Mauritanie peut lié aux dialectes « spirants » trouvés en Afrique du Nord ; la seconde, qu'il ressemble au Tamacheq parlé dans l'Aïr. Considéré dans tous ses détails, le zénaga montre beaucoup de traits originaux, spécialement en ce qui concerne les formes prises par les corrélations de gémination : occlusives vs. fricatives bien sûr, mais aussi stridentes vs. non-stridentes, sibilantes vs. chuintantes ou liquides vs. glides.

International audience; Although mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) are important disease vectors, information on their biodiversity in Mauritania is scarce and very dispersed in the literature. Data from the scientific literature gathered in the country from 1948 to 2016 were collected and analyzed. Overall 51 culicid species comprising 17 Anopheles spp., 14 Aedes spp., 18 Culex spp. and two Mansonia spp. have been described in Mauritania among which Anopheles arabiensis, Aedes vexans, Culex poicilipes and Culex antennatus are of epidemiological significance. Anopheles arabiensis is widely distributed throughout the country and its geographic distribution has increased northwards in recent years, shifting its northern limit form 17 degrees 32'N in the 1960s to 18 degrees 47'N today. Its presence in the central region of Tagant highlights the great ecological plasticity of the species. Conversely, the distribution of Anopheles gambiae (s.s.) and Anopheles melas has shrunk compared to that of the 1960s. Anopheles rhodesiensis and An. d'thali are mainly confined in the mountainous areas (alt. 200-700 m), whereas Anopheles pharoensis is widely distributed in the Senegal River basin. Culex poicilipes and Cx. antenattus were naturally found infected with Rift valley fever virus in central and northern Mauritania following the Rift valley outbreaks of 1998 and 2012. Recently, Ae. aegypti emerged in Nouakchott and is probably responsible for dengue fever episodes of 2015. This paper provides a concise and up-to-date overview of the existing literature on mosquito species known to occur in Mauritania and highlights areas where future studies should fill a gap in knowledge about vector biodiversity. It aims to help ongoing and future research on mosquitoes particularly in the field of medical entomology to inform evidence-based decision-making for vector control and management strategies.

The reciprocal effects between sediment texture and seagrass density are assumed to play an important role in the dynamics and stability of intertidal-coastal ecosystems. However, this feedback relationship has been difficult to study empirically on an ecosystem scale, so that knowledge is mainly based on theoretical models and small-scale (experimental) studies. In this paper we apply a non-recursive structural equation model (SEM) to empirically investigate, at large spatial scale, the mutual dependence between seagrass (Zostera noltii) density and sediment texture, on the pristine, seagrass-dominated, intertidal mudflats of the Banc d'Arguin, Mauritania. The non-recursive SEM allows consistent estimation and testing of a direct feedback between sediment and seagrass whilst statistically controlling for the effects of nutrients and abiotic stress. The resulting model is consistent with the hypothesized negative feedback: grain size decreases with seagrass density, whereas fine grain size has a negative impact on seagrass density because it decreases pore water exchange which leads to hypoxic sediment conditions. Another finding is that seagrass density increases with sediment organic material content up to a threshold level beyond which it levels off. In combination with decreasing grain size, accumulation of organic matter creates hypoxic sediment conditions which lead to the production of toxic hydrogen sulfide which slows down seagrass growth. The negative feedback loop implies that intertidal Z. noltii modifies its own environment, thus controlling its growing conditions. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to demonstrate a direct negative feedback relationship in ecosystems by means of a non-recursive SEM.

Este trabajo presenta los contrastes entre renovación y tradición en el Islam africano contemporáneo a través de la biografía de Muhammad al-Mishry, uno de los máximos exponentes de la ṭarīqa sufí Tijāniyya. Esta organización vivió los procesos de independencia y modernización de muchos países considerados tradicionales, y por su actitud abierta fue duramente criticada por el salafi smo (literalistas) y los islamistas (reformismo). Mishry constituyó para miles de personas un modelo conciliador entre el mundo contemporáneo y el tradicional, a través de la práctica del sufi smo. Así, solventó los problemas derivados del choque cultural con el mundo colonial y el post-colonial. This paper outlines the contrast between Revival and Tradition in contemporary African Islam through the intellectual biography of Muhammad al-Mishry, one of the leaders of the Tijāniyya Sufi Path. Th is organization witnessed the process of independency and modernization of many traditional african countries. Because of its open attitude to renewal, salafism (literalism) and islamism (reformism) criticized the Tijāniyya. For thousands Mishry represented a role model for the conciliation of modernity and tradition. We found very interesting in this research the way in which he solved the problems of the colonial and post-colonial cultural clashes using sufism. Ministerio de Educación, Gobierno de España Programa FPU

Este trabajo presenta los contrastes entre renovación y tradición en el Islam africano contemporáneo a través de la biografía de Muhammad al-Mishry, uno de los máximos exponentes de la ṭarīqa sufí Tijāniyya. Esta organización vivió los procesos de independencia y modernización de muchos países considerados tradicionales, y por su actitud abierta fue duramente criticada por el salafi smo (literalistas) y los islamistas (reformismo). Mishry constituyó para miles de personas un modelo conciliador entre el mundo contemporáneo y el tradicional, a través de la práctica del sufi smo. Así, solventó los problemas derivados del choque cultural con el mundo colonial y el post-colonial. This paper outlines the contrast between Revival and Tradition in contemporary African Islam through the intellectual biography of Muhammad al-Mishry, one of the leaders of the Tijāniyya Sufi Path. Th is organization witnessed the process of independency and modernization of many traditional african countries. Because of its open attitude to renewal, salafism (literalism) and islamism (reformism) criticized the Tijāniyya. For thousands Mishry represented a role model for the conciliation of modernity and tradition. We found very interesting in this research the way in which he solved the problems of the colonial and post-colonial cultural clashes using sufism. Ministerio de Educación, Gobierno de España Programa FPU

The objective of this paper is to evaluate why small-scale farmers do not persist with irrigation along the Senegal River Valley of Mauritania. Surveys of all households of 12 villages that combine traditional agriculture with irrigated rice production collected information on workload, inputs and productivity of cropping systems together with food requirement and costs in local markets. Analyses revealed that, at the scale of farming attempted, there is no shortage of labor within most households when irrigated rice is combined with traditional rain fall cropping in the wet season and flood-recession crops in the cold, dry season. There is, however, a major limitation to successful combination in the generally negative return of rice production to labor and inputs. While input costs for traditional systems are very small, real costs of rice production (4000. kg paddy/ha) exceed returns in most cases. Farmers only persist with irrigation for as long as the infrastructure functions with minimum maintenance. This explains the observed gradual abandonment of many irrigation schemes unless additional investment is available to repay initial loans and renew infrastructure. While operational, the schemes do add significantly to food security in the villages and offer paid labor to landless residents. Greater yields of rice, greater irrigation water-use efficiency through improved irrigation management, crops that demand less water and more intensive use of irrigated land are options to increase return to inputs. Success here would remove the food contribution from traditional agriculture currently required to sustain irrigated rice production, and establish a continuing and profitable contribution from irrigated agriculture. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd., The work reported here was financed by the Agencia Española Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo (AECID) and the Ministère du Développement Rural in Mauritania (MDR), Agencia Española Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo (AECID), Ministère du Développement Rural in Mauritania (MDR)

To date, most analyses of the Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) network have focused on qualitative analysis to determine trends and patterns in the group's evolution over time. Seldom has a combination of quantitative tools been used to derive inferences about the nature of the organization and its changing strategy. In this paper, the author draws on a combination of geospatial analysis and social network analysis in order to explore how the network has changed over time in response to efforts from local and international security forces to disrupt it. The analysis enables the community of interest to draw conclusions with regard to the resiliency of the network and its long-term goals in the Sahel region. Evidence indicates that AQIM is evolving into a less dense but more ethnically diverse organization that is rapidly restoring the operational capacity it lost during the 2013 French intervention in Mali. Despite major Western military efforts to suppress it, AQIM is increasingly able to conduct spectacular attacks across west Africa, further destabilizing an already precarious security environment. The thesis concludes with recommendations for crafting a strategy tailored to degrading and containing the threat from AQIM and its affiliates. http://archive.org/details/whyfailingterror1094556840 Major, United States Army Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

Over the centuries, slavery has become embedded into the social fabric of Mauritania with generations of abid and bizan (Mauritanian slaves and slave masters, respectively) born and raised knowing nothing but the institution of chattel slavery. Abid fleeing their station in Mauritania come to the USA with unique psychological needs that will affect all of their interactions with the medical community. This paper aims to assist health professionals and others concerned with the welfare of former chattel slaves in competently serving this vulnerable population. Discussion includes an overview of Mauritanian chattel slavery, deduced sequelae of chattel slavery, preliminary recommendations for mental health and medical treatment protocols, and suggestions for future research. A confidential Institutional Review Board (IRB)-approved case report will be used to illustrate these objectives.

This Selected Issues paper covers three topics of particular relevance to Mauritania: export competitiveness and exchange rate policy, the monetary policy framework, and the transfer of government deposits from commercial banks to the central bank. The paper reports on the recent economic developments over 1999–2001. It describes a stable macroeconomic environment with robust growth, low inflation, manageable current account deficits, and a comfortable level of gross foreign reserves. The paper also looks at the issue of export competitiveness and exchange rate policy.

The echinoderm fauna of North-eastern Atlantic is one of the best known worldwide. However, despite a great number of published works on Atlantic echinoderms, this group remains poorly know in Northwest African waters, where the available information basically comes from the old oceanographic expeditions carried out from the late 19th- to mid-20th centuries (Challenger, Prince Albert I of Monaco, Travailleur et Talisman, Michael Sars, Valdivia, Atlantide ). During the four multidisciplinary Maurit surveys, carried out annually from 2007 to 2010 onboard R/V Vizconde de Eza in Mauritanian EEZ, between Cape Blanc (21° N) and the Senegalese border (16° N), a total of 342 trawling stations were sampled between 79 and 1867 m depth. Most of stations were located in soft bottoms and were accomplished with a commercial trawl and a beam-trawl. Only 26 stations were deployed in hard bottoms, namely canyons borders, the giant cold-water coral reef and a seamount, using a rock dredge. This paper deals with the echinoderms obtained in these surveys and compares soft-bottoms and hard bottom assemblages. Echinoderms were collected in 271 stations (79.2%) of which 252 (93.0%) were located in soft bottoms and only 19 (7.0%) in hard substrata. Global diversity reaches 100 species identified in both soft and hard substrata, including 29 Holothuroidea, 28 Asteroidea, 27 Ophiuroidea, 13 Echinoidea and 3 Crinoidea. Eighty-two species were collected on soft bottoms, 25 were collected on hard substrata, but only six were reported in both. Ophiuroidea and Asteroidea were the most diverse echinoderms found on soft bottoms, versus Holothuroidea and Ophiuroidea in hard bottoms. Nevertheless, numerically the soft bottoms assemblages were clearly dominated by deposit-feeder Holothuroidea, while the dominance in hard bottoms is mostly suspension-feeder Holothuroidea (Dendrochirotida) and Ophiuroidea.

This paper investigates the channels through which remittances affect macroeconomic volatility in African countries using a dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE) model augmented with financial frictions. Empirical results indicate that remittances—as a share of GDP—have a significant smoothing impact on output volatility but their impact on consumption volatility is somewhat small. Furthermore, remittances are found to absorb a substantial amount of GDP shocks in these countries. An investigation of the theoretical channels shows that the stabilization impact of remittances essentially hinges on two channels: (i) the size of the negative wealth effect on labor supply induced by remittances and, (ii) the strength of financial frictions and the ability of remittances to alleviate these frictions.

Nowadays, food security continues to be a huge problem, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. This paper tries to analyse the problem of food security from the point of view of food regime analysis. The implementation of the different food regimes in Mauritania has had important consequences for the country’s food security because it has generated an increasing dualism between consumption patterns and provisioning systems in rural and urban areas. The Mauritanian case allows us to note that the European model to achieve the food security existing in the Second Food Regime did not apply in countries such as Mauritania. Moreover, Mauritania shows us that the proposal for food security in the Third Food Regime, that is, the access to the food world markets, has not been able to mitigate the food insecurity of the country.

This paper reviews the evidence on how households in Sub-Saharan Africa segment along consumption, income and earning dimensions relevant for quantitative macroeconomic policy models which incorporate heterogeneity. Key findings include the importance of home-grown food in the income and consumption of house-holds well up the income distribution, the lack of formal financial inclusion for all but the richest households, and the importance of non-wage income. These stylized facts suggest that an externally-generated macroeconomic shock and the short-term policy response would mainly affect the behavior and welfare of these richer urban households, who are also more likely to have the means to cope. Middle class and poor households, especially in rural areas, should be insulated from these external shocks but vulnerable to a wide range of structural factors in the economy as well as idiosyncratic shocks.

This paper reviews trends in taxation and revenue in MENA countries over 1990-2012, with a focus on non-resource taxes. On average, non-resource revenues declined slightly, while resource revenues soared. Country experiences vary: rates of main taxes and their revenues tend to be higher in the Magreb than in the Mashreq, except for the value-added tax, where lower rates are associated with equal or higher revenue; most oil producers raise little tax revenues—generally less than 5 percent of GDP—and most have reduced them since the late 1990s. But there are similarities: unlike common experience around the world, income taxes (not indirect taxes) have partially compensated for lost revenue from trade liberalization; revenues from indirect taxes have remained stable; personal income taxes have played an unimportant role as a revenue tool; and fees and stamp duties are significant revenue sources. Looking forward, tax reform challenges will also vary across countries: the Maghreb needs to focus on efficiency-enhancing reforms, especially in capital income and consumption taxes; the Mashreq have some room to increase revenue; and, there are ample opportunities to improve equity and reduce complexity of tax systems in all countries. Finally, the recent decline in oil prices and revenues is a reminder that even resource-rich GCC countries need to lay the basis of a tax system for the future.

Suspension-feeding bivalves often may occur in large concentrations ('beds') on tidal flats. This makes them attractive for human consumers and the archaeological record shows collection of bivalves by coastal populations already tens of thousands of years ago. In modem time human interference with coastal stocks of bivalves intensified. This paper describes the successive steps in this development: 1. Local exploitation and local consumption, leading to reduction of average age, average size and small shifts in species composition. 2. Local exploitation coupled to remote markets. This leads to the same changes as at 1, but also may lead to extirpation of local populations. 3. Relaying of imported bivalves to restock overexploited beds. This may result in destruction of genetic adaptations, and it has been demonstrated that it results in the importation of parasites and diseases. 4. Cultivation of bivalves with either spat from natural sources or from hatcheries. Bivalve culture usually results in increased harvests compared to open fisheries; it may lead to overstocking with effects on the remainder of the ecosystem. 5. Introduction of new, exotic species, either to be cultivated or as an unplanned introduction of 'weed' species.

Islamic finance is a fast growing activity in world markets. This paper provides a survey on Islamic Finance in SSA. Ongoing activities include Islamic banking, sukuk issuances (to finance infrastructure projects), Takaful (insurance), and microfinance. While not yet significant in most Sub-Saharan countries, several features make Islamic finance instruments relevant to the region, in particular the ability to foster SMEs and micro-credit activtities. As a first step, policy makers could introduce Islamic financing windows within the conventional system and facilitate sukuk issuance to tap foreign investors. The entrance of full-fleged Islamic banks require addressing systemic issues, and adapting the crisis management and resolution frameworks. The IMF can play a role by sharing international experiences and providing advice on supervisory and regulatory frameworks as needed.

This paper is the result of the study of a squat lobsters collection obtained along the Mauritanian coast, between 91 and 1867 m depth, during the ‘MAURIT’ surveys carried out in the period from 2007 to 2010. Eumunida bella de Saint Laurent & Macpherson, 1990 (Chirostyloidea) and six species of Munida and Munidopsis (Galatheoidea) are reported in the present work. A new species, Munidopsis anaramosae n. sp. collected off northwestern Banc d’Arguin at 1000–1012 m depth, is described and illustrated. The presence of an eyespine that arises distally from the middle end of the cornea, walking legs merus spinose on dorsal and ventral margins and cheliped merus ventrally unarmed distinguish it from related species. Munida chunii Balss, 1913 is redescribed here and the new records of Munida guineae Miyake & Baba, 1970, M. speciosa von Martens, 1878 and Munidopsis chunii Balss, 1913 extend their geographical distribution northwards, and in the case of the last species, increase its bathymetric range. MAVA (contract 12/87 AO C4/2012) Postprint