Mauritania - Under a EUR 2,35 million, EU-funded project implemented by IOM in partnership with the Mauritanian Gendarmerie, four new border posts constructed by IOM have been officially inaugurated in southern Mauritania today (11 March).

The new border posts of Sagné, Hammod, El Melgué and Tenaha built by IOM Mauritania were commissioned in the presence of a number of participants including representatives from the Mauritanian Gendarmerie, the European Union Delegation in Mauritania, IOM staff, as well as students and families from surrounding areas.

These four border posts will greatly contribute to enhancing Mauritania’s migration and border management capacities. Because of its geographical position, the porosity of its borders, and bilateral agreements on exemption of visa requirements, the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, like most West African countries is faced with increased migration flows which affect not only the migrants, but their countries of origin, their transit and destination countries, both positively and negatively.

It is thus essential that the operational gaps that impede the effective management of borders and migration in Mauritania are addressed.

The construction of these border posts is part of a 31-month project funded by the European Union and implemented by IOM Mauritania in direct collaboration with the Ministry of the Interior and Decentralisation and for the benefit of the Mauritanian Gendarmerie.

The project aims to strengthen management of migratory flows in Mauritania through better border control and assistance to irregular migrants in Mauritania. 

“The new border posts provide an element of stability and continuity to the work of the gendarmerie which is currently lacking,” explained Anke Strauss, IOM Mauritania Chief of Mission in her opening address. “Improving the work conditions of the gendarmerie will further increase their motivation to complete their duties towards more humane and orderly migration in Mauritania,” she added.

In his speech, Gerardo Flores, who represented the EU delegation acknowledged the ongoing partnership between the European Union, IOM and the Mauritanian government on migration management, border and security management efforts in the country. "The border post we are inaugurating today is the visible result of our commitment to work with the [Mauritanian, ndlr] security services, and of an excellent partnership with IOM, which helped make the construction of these border posts happen.”

The mayor of the municipality of Sagné, also present during the opening ceremony, expressed his sincere gratitude to IOM and the European Union, stressing that the presence of these border posts “will allow [them] to guarantee the security of populations and facilitate the management of increasing migration flow in the region.” 

For further information, please contact Laura Palatini, IOM Mauritania, Tel: +222 42 42 00 43, Email: lpalatini@iom.int