Strategy for Promoting Broadband and Universal Access in Mauritania

Strategies and Action Plans

The ‘Strategy for Promoting Broadband and Universal Access’ in Mauritania is a comprehensive plan designed to transform the nation’s telecommunications landscape. This strategy aims to integrate advanced digital technologies, expand broadband accessibility, and foster socioeconomic development by addressing the challenges of limited connectivity and digital exclusion. It represents a cohesive framework to bridge the digital divide, stimulate economic growth, and enhance social inclusion.

Mauritania’s strategy seeks to create an enabling ecosystem for both the supply of broadband services and the demand for them. On the supply side, it focuses on upgrading telecommunications infrastructure, modernising regulatory frameworks, and promoting investment through public-private partnerships. Simultaneously, on the demand side, it seeks to stimulate the adoption of digital technologies by fostering digital literacy, reducing the cost of devices and services, and encouraging the development of locally relevant digital content.

The strategy is aligned with global development goals, including the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 9.C, which calls for significantly increasing access to information and communication technologies. Mauritania’s unique geographical and demographic challenges, including its vast desert regions and nomadic populations, require innovative approaches to ensure equitable access to broadband services across the country.

To achieve this vision, the strategy defines ambitious yet achievable targets. By 2023, it envisions 80% of the population having internet access, significant cost reductions for broadband services, and widespread digital literacy initiatives. Schools in regional capitals are prioritised for connectivity, laying the groundwork for a digitally equipped educational system.

The approach recognises the dual importance of infrastructure and user engagement. On the infrastructure side, the deployment of next-generation networks, including 4G and fibre-optic technologies, is central. It also promotes the sharing of telecommunications infrastructure among providers to enhance efficiency and reduce service costs. A critical component is the establishment of a national data centre to support e-government and other digital services.

The regulatory framework is another cornerstone of this strategy. By fostering competition, implementing open-access policies, and integrating broadband into universal service obligations, the plan ensures that connectivity becomes both widely available and affordable. These measures are complemented by initiatives to promote local content creation, expand training programs, and provide shared access to digital resources in underserved areas.

Governance plays a vital role in this strategy. The plan emphasises the coordination of efforts across government sectors and partnerships with private stakeholders. It includes mechanisms for monitoring progress, such as tracking broadband penetration rates, service quality, and the reach of digital literacy programs.

Financial sustainability is addressed through an estimated investment of $623 million over 25 years, supported by the Universal Access Fund. This ensures that even less profitable regions receive the infrastructure necessary to connect their populations to the digital economy.