Mauritania — National Biodiversity Strategy 2022–2030

National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan

Sub-Saharan AfricaApplies through 2030Source: National Biodiversity Strategy 2022–2030

Translated from French.

1. Overview

Mauritania's National Biodiversity Strategy 2022–2030 (NBS 2022-2030) was presented at a workshop in Nouakchott in October 2024, prepared under the auspices of the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (Ministère de l'environnement et du développement durable, MEDD) [§36]. The source material does not confirm whether the strategy has been formally adopted by government resolution, cabinet decree, or ministerial order.

The strategy is organised around five thematic axes, which function as strategic pillars rather than individual pledges.* Each axis contains three national commitments,† producing 15 national commitments in total, supported by 43 actions coded with alphanumeric references (e.g., A.1.1, B.2.3). The strategy is explicitly aligned with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF); priority GBF Targets were identified through a national stakeholder survey conducted during preparation [§36].

All 15 national commitments include quantitative targets and defined deadlines and are classified as measurable commitments. Coverage is strongest on GBF Target 14 (mainstreaming), GBF Target 19 (finance mobilisation), GBF Target 20 (capacity and technology), and GBF Target 21 (data and information). The strategy contains no explicit vision or mission statement for 2030 or 2050 [§26–§34]. No costed implementation budget exists; producing a complete budgetary plan is itself an action to be delivered by 2026 (D.2.1) [§35].

*Mauritania organises its strategy around five thematic axes, which function as strategic pillars rather than individual pledges.

†Referred to in the source document as "national objectives." This page uses "national commitment" to avoid confusion with the 23 GBF Targets.

Mauritania's NBS 2022-2030 is a quantified, action-level strategy covering five thematic areas from governance and conservation to finance and data infrastructure. Its headline commitments include reforesting 500,000 hectares by 2030, allocating 2% of the State budget to biodiversity by 2028, and mobilising USD 100 million in international finance through 20 formal agreements by the same date. Starting from a protected area coverage baseline of approximately 1%, the strategy commits to five new forest protected areas by 2030 and five new marine protected areas by 2035, embedding implementation responsibility across a two-tier governance architecture stretching from the national to the Wilaya level.

Sources:

  • §36 — National Biodiversity Strategy > Alignment with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework

2. Ecological Context

Mauritania is the most arid nation in the Sahel region; desert zones constitute approximately 80% of its territory, composed primarily of dunes and bare soils [§9]. Three severe droughts — in 1984–85, 1991–92, and 2009–2010 — have profoundly affected the country's ecological, societal, and economic balance over the past four decades [§4].

Terrestrial ecosystems. Agro-sylvo-pastoral zones cover approximately 15% of the national territory, including forests, wooded savannahs, and tree-dotted steppes; the most significant forest potential lies in the Senegal River valley, where these formations provide vital ecosystem services including non-timber forest products such as gum arabic [§7]. Pastoral areas account for a further 14% of the national surface [§8]. Wetlands — oases, the Senegal River, and its tributaries — create microclimates supporting resident birds, reptiles, and large mammals including gazelles, warthogs, and hyenas [§10].

Pressures and degradation. Vegetation cover has decreased by 46,000 hectares per year over the past two decades [§4]. Bush fires destroy between 50,000 and 300,000 hectares of grazing land annually, and Mauritanian forests lose an estimated 3,500 hectares per year to agricultural clearing and illegal logging, with a further 4,000 hectares per year from other wooded lands [§4, §11]. Mangroves concentrated in Diawling National Park lost approximately 50% of their surface area between 1980 and 2005 [§11]. The deterioration of land and forests has contributed to a poverty rate affecting 44% of the total population [§4].

Protected area baseline. Only two national parks exist — Banc d'Arguin and Diawling — covering approximately 1% of the national territory. The NBSAP explicitly notes this is well below the pre-GBF Aichi 17% target [§11].

Knowledge gaps. The strategy acknowledges that current understanding of biological and genetic diversity is limited due to the absence of a comprehensive national inventory [§4, §11].

Sources:

  • §4 — National Biodiversity Strategy > Biodiversity, Natural Capital at the Heart of the Country's Economic and Societal Activities
  • §7 — National Biodiversity Strategy > Agro-Sylvo-Pastoral Zones
  • §8 — National Biodiversity Strategy > Pastoral Areas
  • §9 — National Biodiversity Strategy > Desert Zones
  • §10 — National Biodiversity Strategy > Wetlands
  • §11 — National Biodiversity Strategy > Pressures on Biodiversity and the Most Vulnerable Ecosystems in Mauritania

Mauritania's Atlantic Coast: A Biodiversity Anchor in a Desert Nation

Country-specific section

Beyond its arid continental territory, Mauritania holds an exclusive economic zone exceeding 200,000 km² and a 754-kilometre Atlantic coastline extending from Cap Blanc to the Senegal River estuary [§4, §6]. The northern coastal zone from Cap Timiris occupies a crossroads of tropical and subtropical oceanic biomes — an ecotone concentrating faunal and floristic diversity from both major oceanic zones [§6].

Marine species richness. The strategy records 703 fish species in Mauritanian waters, of which 49 are listed on the IUCN Red List across the near threatened, vulnerable, endangered, and critically endangered categories [§5]. Six species of sea turtle are present, including the IUCN-listed green turtle [§4]. Six marine mammal species — including the monk seal — are classified by the IUCN as threatened, vulnerable, or endangered [§5]. Coastal and pelagic bird species on the IUCN Red List include Leach's storm petrel (Hydrobates leucorhous), black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla), Audouin's gull (Larus audouinii), and Cape Verde shearwater (Calonectris edwardsii); 47 species of pelagic birds are recorded in the deep waters of the continental slope [§5].

Critical habitats. Recent investigations have identified canyon systems, seamounts, and cold-water coral reefs as habitats requiring particular protection, with resilience attributed to hard corals and nutrient-rich currents [§11]. Macroalgae and seagrass communities — which serve as nursery areas for crabs, crustaceans, fish, and molluscs and act as natural barriers against coastal erosion — are identified as heavily impacted by climate change and anthropogenic pressures [§11].

Conservation response. The strategy's existing marine conservation infrastructure consists of Banc d'Arguin and Diawling National Parks. The NBS 2022-2030 adds a two-stage expansion: five new marine protected areas targeting 2035 (B.1.2) and a dedicated maritime action plan by 2027 (B.2.4) targeting naval degassing and deballasting specifically. Maritime fishing is one of six priority sectors for biodiversity integration (A.2.5). The marine dimension runs through the strategy's finance architecture, capacity-building targets (4,000 fishers, 80% artisanal, by 2030 — C.3.3), and the broader reforestation programme (B.1.3), which also responds to the mangrove losses recorded since 1980.

Sources:

  • §4, §5, §6 — National Biodiversity Strategy > Marine and Coastal Zone / Key Figures on Mauritanian Biodiversity
  • §11 — National Biodiversity Strategy > Pressures on Biodiversity and the Most Vulnerable Ecosystems in Mauritania

3. National Commitments and GBF Alignment

Mauritania's 15 national commitments are distributed three per axis across five strategic axes. Quantitative commitments are embedded within individual actions in the strategy matrix [§35]; the national commitments themselves are thematic headings. Where specific numbers, thresholds, and deadlines are stated, they derive from action-level targets rather than the commitment titles.

All 15 national commitments qualify as measurable commitments: each is supported by at least one action carrying a quantitative target and defined deadline. A distinction is noted throughout between commitments that target process outputs (committees created, plans produced, people trained) and those that target ecological or financial outcomes (hectares restored, percentage of stocks within sustainable limits, USD mobilised); both are measurable commitments.

Axis A: Biodiversity Governance and Mainstreaming

A-Obj1: Establish inter-ministerial and regional governance structures Measurable commitment. The strategy creates a two-tier governance architecture: one national interministerial and multisectoral committee by 2025 (A.1.1) and 13 Wilaya‡-level multisectoral committees by 2025 (A.1.2). Indicators: committees established and operational. GBF alignment: Targets 14 and 22 [§35].

‡Wilaya (administrative region — Mauritania has 13).

A-Obj2: Integrate biodiversity into six sectoral policies Measurable commitment. Six sector-specific strategies, roadmaps, or action plans are committed: mining (A.2.1, by 2026), agriculture (A.2.2, by 2026), urban planning (A.2.3, by 2030), forestry and silviculture (A.2.4, by 2026), maritime fishing (A.2.5, by 2026), and private sector governance (A.2.6, by 2030). Sector-level outcome targets include: 25% of agricultural area devoted to productive and sustainable agriculture by 2030; 100% of terrestrial and marine areas covered by spatial planning plans integrating biodiversity by 2030; 50% of fish stocks within biologically sustainable limits by 2030; 50 businesses with biodiversity integrated into governance and CSR policies; and 50 businesses certified under recognised environmental labels (ISO 14001, EMAS) by 2030 [§27, §35]. GBF alignment: Targets 14, 15.

A-Obj3: Strengthen the biodiversity legal framework Measurable commitment. A regulatory impact assessment identifying overlaps in existing biodiversity legislation is planned for 2025 (A.3.1), followed by a unified legislative text on biodiversity preservation covering all national ecosystems by 2026 (A.3.2) [§35]. GBF alignment: Target 14.

Axis B: Protection, Conservation, and Sustainable Resource Management

B-Obj1: Protect and conserve priority ecosystems Measurable commitment. From a baseline of approximately 1% protected area coverage (two national parks), the strategy commits to five new forest protected areas by 2030 (B.1.1) and five new marine protected areas by 2035 (B.1.2). The strategy does not state a percentage coverage target. Action B.1.3 commits to reforestation and ecological restoration across 500,000 hectares in areas of high biodiversity importance by 2030 — the largest quantified commitment in the strategy, set against a deforestation rate of 46,000 hectares per year. Three regional master plans integrating biodiversity spatial planning are targeted by 2028 (B.1.4), and 1,000 hectares of mining-site rehabilitation across at least ten sites by 2030 (B.1.5) [§35]. GBF alignment: Targets 1, 2, 3, 8, 11.

B-Obj2: Reduce pollution affecting ecosystems Measurable commitment. Four instruments address distinct pollution streams: environmental and biodiversity impact assessment integrated into 50% of sectoral projects by 2030 (B.2.1); wastewater treatment systems in five mining extraction centres by 2030 (B.2.2); 50% reduction in harmful fertilisers and chemical products in agricultural zones by 2030 (B.2.3); and a maritime action plan covering waste, degassing, and deballasting from naval, fishing, and port activities by 2027 (B.2.4) [§35]. GBF alignment: Targets 7, 15.

B-Obj3: Ensure sustainable management of natural resources Measurable commitment. A fishing quota monitoring and control system is to be operational by 2027 (B.3.1). Ten nature-based solution projects across five Wilayas are targeted by 2030 (B.3.2). Seventy percent of water resources used sustainably in agriculture is targeted by 2030 (B.3.3) [§35]. GBF alignment: Targets 5, 9, 11.

Axis C: Capacity Building, Awareness, and Education

C-Obj1: Integrate biodiversity into formal education Measurable commitment. Five biodiversity and ecosystem sustainability modules are to be integrated into school programmes by 2027 (C.1.1), with 2,500 teachers trained through continuing professional development seminars by 2030 (C.1.2) [§35]. GBF alignment: Targets 20, 22.

C-Obj2: Raise awareness among decision-makers and civil society Measurable commitment. A training programme for government officials on Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) themes is planned for 2025 (C.2.2); a parallel programme for 100 local practitioners in the Wilayas by 2026 (C.2.3); and 50 awareness-raising events co-created with NGOs — at least three per Wilaya — by 2030 (C.2.1) [§35]. GBF alignment: Targets 20, 22.

C-Obj3: Build capacity of sectoral practitioners Measurable commitment. The strategy targets 10,000 farmers trained in agroecology techniques and sustainable local value chains by 2030 (C.3.1) and 4,000 fishers trained in sustainable and ecosystem-friendly fishing techniques by 2030 (C.3.3). The fisher training target specifies that 80% of participants must be artisanal fishers — a level of sub-group disaggregation uncommon in national capacity targets. Five community awareness campaigns across at least five Wilayas are planned by 2027 (C.3.2) [§35]. GBF alignment: Targets 20, 22, 23.

Axis D: Resource Mobilisation and Financial Innovation

D-Obj1: Develop biodiversity-positive fiscal instruments and reform harmful subsidies Measurable commitment. Five types of fiscal incentives and five types of subsidies favouring biodiversity for investment in sensitive zones are targeted by 2027 (D.1.1). Three financial incentives with negative biodiversity impacts are to be reformed across three sectors by 2027 (D.1.2) [§35]. GBF alignment: Targets 15, 18.

D-Obj2: Mobilise domestic and international finance Measurable commitment. A complete budgetary and funding plan for the NBS 2022-2030 is to be finalised by 2026 (D.2.1). The State budget allocated to biodiversity is to reach 2% of the overall State budget by 2028 (D.2.2) — a domestic finance target expressed as a share of national expenditure rather than a fixed monetary figure. USD 100 million is to be mobilised through 20 formal agreements with national and international investors and organisations by 2028 (D.2.3) [§35]. GBF alignment: Target 19.

D-Obj3: Develop green financial products and assessment criteria Measurable commitment. An awareness programme for financial sector operators is planned for 2027 (D.3.1). Five green financial products — specifically naming green bonds, green loans, and dedicated biodiversity funds — are to be created in collaboration with financial sector operators by 2028 (D.3.2). Ten environmental assessment criteria are to be integrated into investment decision-making by 2028 (D.3.3) [§35]. GBF alignment: Targets 15, 19.

Axis E: Environmental Data and Monitoring

E-Obj1: Build centralised biodiversity data infrastructure Measurable commitment. A centralised database covering terrestrial and marine ecosystems and species is to be established by 2026 (E.1.1), targeting 1,000 registered users by 2028 (E.2.1) [§35]. GBF alignment: Targets 20, 21.

E-Obj2: Promote data sharing and academic-private partnerships Measurable commitment. Fifteen partnerships with academic and private sectors — including at least ten at Wilaya level — are targeted for data sharing and centralisation by 2028 (E.2.2) [§35]. GBF alignment: Targets 20, 21, 22.

E-Obj3: Establish monitoring and evaluation mechanisms Measurable commitment. A centralised monitoring and evaluation mechanism for biodiversity actions is to be operational by 2026 (E.3.1). A training programme for 200 decision-makers responsible for M&E — including 150 at Wilaya level — is targeted for 2028 (E.3.2) [§35]. GBF alignment: Targets 20, 21.

Sources:

  • §26–§34 — National Biodiversity Strategy > Axis A–E overview sections
  • §35 — National Biodiversity Strategy > Planned Measures (detailed action matrix)

Decentralisation by Design: The Wilaya as the Unit of Implementation

Country-specific section

The Wilaya — Mauritania's first-level administrative division (13 total) — is not merely a geographic reference in the NBS 2022-2030. It is the structural unit around which implementation, monitoring, capacity-building, and data infrastructure are organised across all five strategic axes.

Why the Wilaya tier. The lessons-learnt review of the 2011–2020 National Biodiversity Strategy identified a failure to translate national objectives into concrete actions and an absence of effective M&E, attributed in part to inadequate coordination at national and regional levels [§15]. The NBS 2022-2030 responds by embedding delivery responsibilities at the Wilaya level throughout the strategy.

Governance. Thirteen Wilaya-level multisectoral committees are to be established by 2025 (A.1.2), parallel to the national interministerial committee (A.1.1), creating two-tier accountability from the outset of implementation [§35].

Monitoring and data. Of the 15 data partnerships planned under E.2.2, at least 10 must be at Wilaya level. Of the 200 decision-makers to be trained in M&E (E.3.2), at least 150 must be at Wilaya level. The centralised biodiversity database (E.1.1) is designed to aggregate data sourced through these regional partnerships [§35].

Capacity building. Awareness-raising events must reach at least three per Wilaya across the 50 planned under C.2.1. One hundred local practitioners are to be trained specifically within Wilayas (C.2.3). Five community campaigns must span at least five different Wilayas (C.3.2). The ten nature-based solution projects (B.3.2) are distributed across at least five Wilayas [§35].

Strategy development. More than 270 stakeholders were consulted across all 15 Wilayas during strategy preparation — a process of decentralised consultation that informs the axis structure itself [§35].

The Wilaya tier represents a structural response to a documented failure of central-only coordination, running from governance through monitoring through capacity building in a single coherent architecture.

Sources:

  • §15 — National Biodiversity Strategy > Lessons Learnt for the NBS 2022-2030
  • §35 — National Biodiversity Strategy > Planned Measures

4. Delivery Architecture

Governance and Coordination

The MEDD holds the secretariat of both the national interministerial committee (A.1.1) and the 13 Wilaya-level multisectoral committees (A.1.2), "ensuring centralised coordination and consistency in the actions undertaken" [§23]. Political and technical coordination committees — including working groups — are mandated to meet regularly, with membership spanning public, private, and civil society sectors [§23]. The strategy identifies the need to review and improve institutional mandates at central and regional levels, providing sectoral ministries with "sufficient and qualified human resources, with internally developed expertise" [§23].

Legislation

Two sequential legislative actions form the legal framework of the strategy: a regulatory impact assessment (A.3.1, by 2025) identifying overlaps in existing biodiversity legislation, followed by a unified legislative text on biodiversity preservation covering all national ecosystems and aligned with the framework law on the environment (A.3.2, by 2026) [§35]. Action A.2.6 adds legal and administrative frameworks — decrees and implementing texts — to incentivise businesses to monitor, evaluate, and report on biodiversity dependencies and impacts.

Sectoral Integration Plans

Six sector-specific instruments integrate biodiversity across the economy: strategies or action plans for mining (A.2.1), agriculture (A.2.2), urban planning (A.2.3), forestry and silviculture (A.2.4), maritime fishing (A.2.5), and private sector governance (A.2.6) [§27]. Each carries its own biodiversity indicators and deadline. The private sector instrument includes a specific target of 50 businesses certified by recognised environmental labels (ISO 14001, EMAS) by 2030 [§35].

Conservation and Pollution Instruments

Five new forest protected areas (B.1.1), five new marine protected areas (B.1.2), a 500,000-hectare reforestation programme (B.1.3), and mining-site rehabilitation across 1,000 hectares (B.1.5) constitute the primary conservation instruments. Four instruments address pollution across industrial, agricultural, and maritime discharge streams (B.2.1–B.2.4). The fishing quota monitoring system (B.3.1) provides the sustainable harvest mechanism for the maritime sector.

Cross-Sectoral Mainstreaming

The strategy identifies cross-sectoral engagement as central to implementation, noting that stakeholders "must collaborate horizontally and vertically" and "implement policy coherence methodologies, in alignment with sectoral strategies" [§21]. The degree of biodiversity integration in existing sectoral strategies is noted to be "relatively low overall," with the national growth strategy SCAPP 2016-2030 referencing biodiversity only in relation to maritime fishing and hydrocarbon-related marine threats [§21]. The lessons-learnt review recommends strengthening national coordination through "effective and localised multi-sectoral and inter-ministerial structures, at both central and regional levels" [§15].

Sources:

  • §15 — National Biodiversity Strategy > Lessons Learnt for the NBS 2022-2030
  • §21 — National Biodiversity Strategy > Challenges and Upcoming Steps
  • §23 — National Biodiversity Strategy > Strengthening of Political and Technical Coordination Committees
  • §27, §35 — National Biodiversity Strategy > Planned Measures

5. Monitoring and Accountability

Governance of Monitoring

The MEDD coordinates implementation oversight through the two-tier committee architecture established under A.1.1 and A.1.2. Each of the 43 actions in the strategy matrix carries a named indicator, a quantitative target, a deadline, a responsible sector, and one or more GBF target alignments [§35].

Monitoring Framework

Action E.3.1 commits to establishing a centralised monitoring and evaluation mechanism for biodiversity actions and the state of ecosystems by 2026. A training programme for 200 decision-makers — including 150 at Wilaya level — is targeted for 2028 (E.3.2). The strategy explicitly calls for establishing an M&E system "with specific indicators and identified key milestones" [§15].

Data Infrastructure

The centralised biodiversity database (E.1.1, by 2026) supports monitoring alongside its research function. Fifteen data-sharing partnerships with academic and private sectors, at least ten at Wilaya level (E.2.2, by 2028), are designed to feed this system. The strategy identifies data quality, completeness, and reliability as prerequisites for effective monitoring [§25].

Lessons from the Previous Strategy

The assessment of the 2011–2020 cycle identified the absence of an M&E system as a structural failure, alongside inadequate public funding and the failure to translate objectives into concrete actions [§15]. The recommendations call for "stricter enforcement mechanisms" in the legal framework and a financing plan "with precise indicators and targets, taking into account specific financial needs at the territorial level" [§15].

Reporting

The source material does not state a reporting cycle, scheduled review dates, or mid-term review framework.

Sources:

  • §15 — National Biodiversity Strategy > Lessons Learnt for the NBS 2022-2030
  • §21 — National Biodiversity Strategy > Challenges and Upcoming Steps
  • §25 — National Biodiversity Strategy > Improvement of Data Quality and Management
  • §35 — National Biodiversity Strategy > Planned Measures

6. Finance and Resource Mobilisation

Axis D of the NBS 2022-2030 is dedicated to resource mobilisation and financial innovation, responding to the acknowledgment that reliance on the State budget alone limits conservation programmes [§32].

Domestic public finance. The strategy sets a target of 2% of the overall State budget allocated to biodiversity by 2028 (D.2.2), expressed as a budget share rather than a fixed monetary figure. A complete budgetary and funding plan for the NBS 2022-2030 is itself an action to be produced by 2026 (D.2.1); no costed implementation budget exists at the time of the strategy's presentation. As the lessons-learnt review recommends, the future financing plan should include a national biodiversity fund with "precise indicators and targets, taking into account specific financial needs at the territorial level" [§15].

International finance. Action D.2.3 targets USD 100 million mobilised through 20 formal agreements with national and international private investors and international organisations by 2028.

Fiscal incentives and subsidy reform. Five types of fiscal incentives and five types of subsidies favouring biodiversity for investment in sensitive zones are targeted by 2027 (D.1.1). Three financial incentives with negative biodiversity impacts are to be reformed across three sectors by 2027 (D.1.2). The lessons-learnt section explicitly calls for reforming subsidies harmful to the environment [§15].

Green financial products. Five green financial products — specifically naming green bonds, green loans, and dedicated biodiversity funds — are to be created in collaboration with financial sector operators by 2028 (D.3.2), preceded by an awareness-raising programme for the financial sector in 2027 (D.3.1). Ten environmental assessment criteria are to be integrated into investment decision-making by 2028 (D.3.3). The strategy additionally targets 50 businesses with ISO 14001 or EMAS certification by 2030 (A.2.6) [§35].

GBF Target 19 prioritisation. National stakeholder consultations rated GBF Target 19 (finance mobilisation) as HIGH priority, with 82% of institutions considering themselves directly concerned [§20].

Sources:

  • §2 — National Biodiversity Strategy (Foreword)
  • §15 — National Biodiversity Strategy > Lessons Learnt for the NBS 2022-2030
  • §16 — National Biodiversity Strategy > Integration of Biodiversity and Alignment with National and Sectoral Policies
  • §20 — National Biodiversity Strategy > Private Sector (GBF target prioritisation tables)
  • §32 — National Biodiversity Strategy > Axis D: Resource Mobilisation and Financial Innovation in Favour of Biodiversity
  • §35 — National Biodiversity Strategy > Planned Measures (Axis D action table)

7. GBF Target Coverage

GBF Target 1 — Spatial Planning

Tier 1 — Addressed. The strategy commits to integrating biodiversity into spatial planning through two actions. Action A.2.3 targets 100% of terrestrial and marine areas covered by spatial planning plans integrating biodiversity by 2030. Action B.1.4 commits to integrating biodiversity spatial planning into three regional master plans for urban development by 2028. Both actions are assigned to the infrastructure and urban planning sector. Spatial planning is framed around urbanisation and infrastructure — addressing habitat fragmentation from transport and urban expansion — rather than terrestrial land-use planning more broadly.

GBF Target 2 — Ecosystem Restoration

Tier 1 — Addressed. Action B.1.3 commits to reforestation and ecological restoration programmes in areas of high biodiversity importance and sensitivity, targeting 500,000 hectares by 2030 — set against a background deforestation rate of 46,000 hectares per year. Action B.1.5 commits to rehabilitating soils and ecosystems in former mining sites, targeting 1,000 hectares across at least ten different sites by 2030. Action B.3.2 proposes ten nature-based solution projects for sustainable forest product use and ecosystem service valorisation across five Wilayas by 2030. Mining site rehabilitation is included as a distinct restoration action alongside the forestry programme.

GBF Target 3 — Protected Areas (30×30)

Tier 1 — Addressed. The strategy opens from a baseline of approximately 1% protected area coverage — the two existing national parks, Banc d'Arguin and Diawling — which the NBSAP explicitly acknowledges is well below the pre-GBF Aichi 17% target. Action B.1.1 commits to creating five new protected area zones for forest areas by 2030; Action B.1.2 commits to identifying and classifying five new marine protected areas by 2035, a year beyond the GBF deadline. The strategy does not state a percentage coverage target for the expanded system and does not assert that new designations will approach the 30% GBF benchmark.

GBF Target 4 — Species Recovery

Tier 2 — Mentioned. The strategy documents significant threatened-species presence — 703 fish species (49 IUCN Red Listed), six sea turtle species, six IUCN-classified marine mammals including the monk seal, and multiple Red-Listed bird species — but does not commit to species-specific recovery targets or genetic diversity conservation measures. The fishing quota monitoring system (B.3.1, by 2027) provides indirect species management through catch regulation. Genetic diversity is acknowledged as a knowledge gap requiring inventory work rather than a dedicated action area.

GBF Target 5 — Sustainable Harvest

Tier 1 — Addressed. Action A.2.5 commits to integrating biodiversity into maritime fishing policy, with a target of 50% of fish stocks within biologically sustainable limits by 2030. A fishing quota monitoring and control system (B.3.1) is to be operational by 2027. Action B.3.2 addresses sustainable use of forest products through nature-based solutions. Action B.3.3 targets 70% of water resources used sustainably in agriculture by 2030. The sectoral analysis identifies overfishing as a priority impact requiring sustainable fishing practices and strengthened marine conservation.

GBF Target 6 — Invasive Alien Species

Tier 3 — Not identified. Content addressing GBF Target 6 was not identified in this NBSAP.

GBF Target 7 — Pollution Reduction

Tier 1 — Addressed. National commitment B-Obj2 (Reduce pollution affecting ecosystems) addresses four distinct pollution streams: environmental and biodiversity impact assessment in 50% of sectoral projects by 2030 (B.2.1); wastewater treatment systems in five mining extraction centres by 2030 (B.2.2); a 50% reduction in harmful fertilisers and chemical products in agricultural zones by 2030 (B.2.3); and a maritime action plan covering waste, degassing, and deballasting from naval, fishing, and port activities by 2027 (B.2.4). Each pollution stream carries its own named indicator and deadline.

GBF Target 8 — Climate and Biodiversity

Tier 1 — Addressed. The strategy frames climate change as a principal driver of biodiversity loss, citing three severe droughts and Mauritania's status as the most arid Sahelian nation. Multiple actions are tagged to Target 8: the five new forest protected areas (B.1.1), five new marine protected areas (B.1.2), 500,000-hectare reforestation programme (B.1.3), biodiversity integration into regional master plans (B.1.4), mining site rehabilitation (B.1.5), sustainable forest management through nature-based solutions (B.3.2), sustainable water use (B.3.3), and training 10,000 farmers in agroecology (C.3.1). Climate is framed primarily through desertification and drought rather than ocean acidification. Reforestation and ecosystem restoration are positioned as dual climate-biodiversity measures.

GBF Target 9 — Wild Species Use

Tier 2 — Mentioned. Two actions are tagged to Target 9: B.1.4 (integrating biodiversity spatial planning into regional master plans) and C.3.1 (training 10,000 farmers in agroecology and sustainable local value chains for medicinal and aromatic plants, MAPs, and perfume and aromatic plants, PAPs). These address sustainable use of biological resources but do not constitute a dedicated wild species management programme.

GBF Target 10 — Agriculture / Forestry

Tier 1 — Addressed. Agriculture and forestry are two of the five priority economic sectors for biodiversity integration. Action A.2.2 targets 25% of agricultural area devoted to productive and sustainable agriculture by 2030. Action A.2.4 commits to integrating biodiversity into silvopastoral policy, with progress towards sustainable forest management targeted by 2026. The sectoral analysis calls for sustainable agricultural practices, water resource management, and reduction of excessive pesticide use. Mining site rehabilitation (B.1.5) is also tagged to Target 10.

GBF Target 11 — Ecosystem Services (NbS)

Tier 1 — Addressed. Action B.3.2 explicitly commits to developing nature-based solutions and valorising ecosystem services for silviculture, with ten projects across five Wilayas by 2030. The strategy describes the agro-sylvo-pastoral zone (approximately 15% of national territory) as providing vital ecosystem services including non-timber forest products such as gum arabic and essential grazing land. Actions B.1.4 (spatial planning) and B.1.5 (mining rehabilitation) are also tagged to Target 11. Axis B frames restoring and protecting vulnerable ecosystems as essential for maintaining ecological resilience for future generations.

GBF Target 12 — Urban Biodiversity

Tier 1 — Addressed. The strategy identifies infrastructure and urbanisation as one of five priority economic sectors. Action A.2.3 targets 100% of terrestrial and marine areas covered by spatial planning plans integrating biodiversity by 2030. Action B.1.4 targets three regional master plans integrating biodiversity spatial planning for urban development by 2028. Both actions address habitat fragmentation from transport and infrastructure expansion. Coverage is framed through spatial planning integration and promotion of green infrastructure rather than creation of specific urban green or blue spaces.

GBF Target 13 — Genetic Resources / ABS

Tier 2 — Mentioned. The strategy explicitly identifies genetic diversity as a knowledge gap, noting that current understanding is limited due to the absence of a comprehensive national inventory. Action C.3.1, training farmers in agroecology and sustainable local value chains for medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs and PAPs), is tagged to Target 13. No measures on access and benefit-sharing, digital sequence information, or traditional knowledge frameworks are included.

GBF Target 14 — Mainstreaming

Tier 1 — Addressed. Mainstreaming is the first and most extensively developed strategic axis of the NBS 2022-2030, justified by the inadequacy of biodiversity governance mechanisms identified during national and regional consultations. The axis encompasses ten discrete actions: the two-tier governance architecture (A.1.1, A.1.2), six sector integration plans (A.2.1–A.2.6), and two sequential legal reform actions (A.3.1, A.3.2). Sector-specific outcome targets include 25% sustainable agricultural area, 50% of fish stocks within sustainable limits, and 100% of terrestrial and marine areas covered by biodiversity-integrated spatial plans. The 2% State budget allocation target (D.2.2) is tagged to Target 14 as an indicator of institutional mainstreaming.

GBF Target 15 — Business Disclosure

Tier 1 — Addressed. Action A.2.6 commits to establishing legal, administrative, and policy frameworks incentivising businesses to monitor, evaluate, and report on biodiversity dependencies and impacts. Specific targets: five legal and administrative instruments developed; 50 businesses with biodiversity integrated into governance and CSR policies; and 50 businesses certified under ISO 14001 or EMAS by 2030. The regulatory impact assessment (A.3.1) and unified legislative text (A.3.2) provide the legal foundation. Environmental assessment criteria for financial projects (D.3.3) are also tagged to Target 15. ISO 14001 and EMAS certification targets are named explicitly.

GBF Target 16 — Sustainable Consumption

Tier 2 — Mentioned. No dedicated sustainable consumption programme exists. Three capacity-building actions are tagged to Target 16: C.1.1 (five biodiversity modules in school programmes), C.1.2 (training 2,500 teachers in biodiversity), and C.2.1 (50 awareness events co-created with NGOs). These education and awareness measures may contribute to behavioural change but do not constitute a dedicated sustainable consumption commitment.

GBF Target 17 — Biosafety

Tier 2 — Mentioned. The review of the 2011–2020 strategy notes the "approval of laws on biosafety" as a past achievement. The 2022–2030 strategy introduces no new biosafety measures, biotechnology management actions, or benefit-distribution mechanisms related to biotechnology.

GBF Target 18 — Harmful Subsidies

Tier 1 — Addressed. The lessons-learnt section explicitly identifies reforming subsidies harmful to the environment among the levers for achieving GBF objectives. Action D.1.2 commits to identifying and progressively reforming three financial incentives with negative biodiversity impacts across three sectors by 2027. Action D.1.1 develops five types of fiscal incentives and five types of subsidies favouring biodiversity for investment in sensitive zones by 2027. Action B.2.3 targets a 50% reduction in harmful fertilisers and chemical products in agriculture, which also addresses input subsidy effects indirectly. The reform target specifies three incentives in three sectors by 2027.

GBF Target 19 — Finance Mobilisation

Tier 1 — Addressed. Axis D dedicates eight actions to finance mobilisation. Primary targets are: 2% of the overall State budget allocated to biodiversity by 2028 (D.2.2); USD 100 million through 20 formal agreements by 2028 (D.2.3); five green financial products — green bonds, green loans, dedicated biodiversity funds — by 2028 (D.3.2); and ten environmental assessment criteria integrated into investment decisions by 2028 (D.3.3). A complete budgetary plan is to be produced by 2026 (D.2.1). An awareness programme for the financial sector is planned for 2027 (D.3.1). National stakeholders rated Target 19 as HIGH priority, with 82% of institutions considering themselves directly concerned. No costed implementation budget exists at the time of the strategy's presentation.

GBF Target 20 — Capacity and Technology

Tier 1 — Addressed. Axis C dedicates eight actions to capacity building, addressing the lack of awareness among decision-makers identified in the stakeholder survey. Education targets: five modules in school programmes by 2027 (C.1.1); 2,500 teachers trained by 2030 (C.1.2). Decision-maker training: programme for government officials on CBD themes by 2025 (C.2.2); 100 local Wilaya practitioners by 2026 (C.2.3). Sectoral training: 10,000 farmers in agroecology by 2030 (C.3.1); 4,000 fishers (specifying 80% artisanal) in sustainable techniques by 2030 (C.3.3). Fifty awareness events with a minimum of three per Wilaya by 2030 (C.2.1). All Axis E data and monitoring actions (E.1.1–E.3.2) are also tagged to Target 20.

GBF Target 21 — Data and Information

Tier 1 — Addressed. Axis E responds to a documented data gap: 82% of survey respondents cited the lack of data, studies, and publications as a barrier to implementation. Action E.1.1 commits to a centralised database covering terrestrial and marine ecosystems and species by 2026, targeting 1,000 registered users by 2028 (E.2.1). Fifteen partnerships with academic and private sectors for data sharing — including at least ten at Wilaya level — are targeted by 2028 (E.2.2). A centralised M&E mechanism is to be operational by 2026 (E.3.1), supported by training 200 decision-makers (150 at Wilaya level) in M&E by 2028 (E.3.2). The requirement that a majority of data partnerships operate at Wilaya level is a distinctive structural feature of the data architecture.

GBF Target 22 — Inclusive Participation

Tier 1 — Addressed. Strategy development involved multi-stakeholder consultations across all 15 Wilayas with more than 270 local stakeholders. Action A.1.2 embeds regional participation in governance through 13 Wilaya-level multisectoral committees. Capacity-building actions C.2.2 and C.2.3 extend structured engagement to government officials and Wilaya-level practitioners respectively. Awareness events (C.2.1) must reach at least three per Wilaya. The strategy does not include specific provisions for indigenous peoples, youth, or other defined marginalised groups as distinct categories beyond the broader participatory framework. Gender integration is mentioned as a recommendation but not operationalised with dedicated actions.

GBF Target 23 — Gender Equality

Tier 2 — Mentioned. The review of the 2011–2020 strategy notes that approximately 3,000 women benefited from degraded land restoration and agricultural programmes in several regions. The recommendations call for "strengthening the gender integration dimension" in future implementation, linking it with local economic development potential. Three capacity-building actions are tagged to Target 23 in the action plan: C.2.1 (50 awareness events with NGOs), C.3.2 (five community awareness campaigns), and C.3.3 (training 4,000 fishers). The 2022–2030 strategy does not include a gender action plan, gender-disaggregated targets, or gender-specific implementation measures.