Unlike many other countries, Mauritania’s culture is characterized by its authenticity and the enduring nature of a number of its rich traditions. Following the political changes that took place in 2005 and the exemplary democratic transition occurring just a few months ago (March 2007), new governmental structures have been created and new managers have been appointed to key positions within the State’s administration. The diversity of Mauritania’s cultural components offers a by no means insignificant development potential that is not yet being taken advantage of, constituting a loss of income in a country with a high poverty rate (46.4%) and multiple basic needs. At the same time, the country is becoming a tourist destination (around 50,000 visitors a year spending on average €350 per person) which is valued precisely because of these ancient traditions.
The programme therefore aims to preserve and develop these cultural elements and convert them into development drivers for the country in the light of accelerated changes in the populations’ lifestyles, particularly within the country. Living in disadvantaged conditions and isolated places, these populations can only benefit from the potentials offered by the country’s economic development thanks to mining, oil production and fishing, by abandoning their traditional habitat, migrating to cities and adopting lifestyles that impoverish the traditional fabric and social links that form the country’s invaluable cultural wealth. This programme aims to strengthen local cultural heritage management and development resources and capacities by developing expertise on joint activities based on pilot projects on working in intersectoral teams and partnerships between public and private sectors and civil society. Several regions are targeted by these activities, including some which have sites featured in UNESCO's World Heritage List. These regions have in common their isolation, the fact that they are enclosed, a high rate of illiteracy, environmental degradation, a loss of traditional knowledge and know-how and the risk of losing cultural references among young people. The sector lacks expertise, resources and tools and is marked by the weakness of the internal market and problems accessing the international market. Weak infrastructures (transport, services), a poorly qualified work force, a lack of financial resources and procurement problems mean that the cultural goods and services currently produced are of poor quality and low productivity. The sector is also characterised by a lack of knowledge and an under-utilisation of the potential of culture by the sector’s actors.
Particular attention will be paid to the opportunities offered by the growth in national and international tourism at these sites whilst adhering to the rules of sustainable cultural tourism, with a focus on achieving maximum effects for the local populations.
The country’s 2006-2010 strategic framework for poverty reduction recommends integrating cultural development and translating this into specific programmes and activities. Furthermore, the national strategy for cultural development is specifically referred to in the President of the Republic’s election programme and in the Prime Minister’s General Policy Declaration before Parliament on 31 May 2007.
The promotion of cultural heritage is an integral part of the 2002 national strategy for tourist development. It is also addressed in the Tourism Master Plan which is in the process of being validated by the government.
In 2005, national consultation days held to discuss a cultural policy for Mauritania, with a strong turn out from civil society, resulted in a tremendous dynamic which must be sustained by the development partners.
Cultural issues were also highlighted as one of the country’s development problems in an assessment performed by the World Bank’s CAS (Strategic Support Framework). In addition, the UNDAF, which was revised in 2005, emphasizes the need to work on changing behaviours to encourage decision makers and populations to get more involved in development programmes with a view to modernising the country. This programme therefore contains an important component that will aim to try to gain a better understanding of the potential frictions between tradition and modernity and also boost the development of cultural goods and services that represent the county's identity, values and meaning. It will also aspire to correct gender inequalities and inequalities between regions and social groups as stipulated in the UNDAF. The programme is also underpinned by the National Youth Policy created and adopted in 2004, which marks a political commitment at the highest level to promote and integrate young people in development processes. Finally, this programme falls under the UNDAF as regards its focus on promoting the population’s access to a sustainable livelihood, while cross-disciplinary approaches concerning young people and the promotion of gender equality and equity are also duly taken into account in the programme, in which young people and women are clearly distinguished as priority target groups for the activities.
The programme was drafted jointly by UNDP, UNFPA and UNESCO and is set to receive technical support from UNIDO, ILO, IOM and UNCTAD. The country team has accumulated good experience working with both the authorities and civil society organizations, particularly in the areas of behaviour change, strengthening capacities (UNFPA), microfinance and decentralization (UNDP). This experience will contribute greatly to the methodology chosen for the programme, which consists of creating synergies between the public and private sectors and civil society and pooling the skills of the various government authorities. The country team is also highly trusted by the authorities due to its intercultural nature, its openness and political neutrality which greatly facilitates involvement in a programme that deals with sensitive issues like values and traditions. Furthermore, its accumulated expertise in other countries, the richness and broadness of its contributions and its international roster of experts are viewed by the national partners as guarantees of the programme’s success.
Between 2000 and 2003, the Permanent Secretary for Heritage Development implemented a "Mauritanian Cultural Heritage Protection and Development” project which received 5 million USD in financing from the IDA. The practical experience gained from this project has contributed considerably to networking and raising the awareness of previously disorganized cultural actors. Moreover, recommendations regarding a national policy in the cultural domain formulated from that project could be turned to good account by this programme which falls in line with the efforts already undertaken.
