Promoting economic inclusion and social cohesion through market-based livelihood and employment interventions for refugees and host communities in the moughataa of Bassikounou

This project’s objective is to increase social cohesion between refugees and host communities in the semi-desert area of south-east Mauritania, through inclusive access to market-based livelihood opportunities and to the labour market in six high potential and green value chains. The department of Bassikounou hosts the Mbera refugee camp, which provides shelter to close to 60,000 Malian refugees, who are largely dependent on humanitarian assistance. This influx of population in the region constitutes both a potential for new opportunities, by increasing the size of the local market and its needs, but also challenges, particularly in terms of social cohesion, as both host populations and refugees depend on agricultural activities, mainly transhumant livestock farming, for their food and income, and the presence of refugees competes for access to natural resources. This project builds on previous work of the ILO in the region and on the various priorities and challenges that were identified. Firstly, the project will ensure that refugees and host communities have increased, inclusive and equal access to a vocational training platform providing initial and continuing training, social cohesion and peaceful coexistence skills, formal skills assessment and certification in the six value chains of eco-construction, meat products, leather and textile confection, gardening and fodder production. The project will also ensure these target groups have improved, inclusive and equal access to demand-driven and conflict-sensitive sustainable enterprise development and labour market integration services. Lastly, the project will engage beneficiaries jointly in green jobs and green economy projects in the construction and environment restoration sectors.

Project symbol

MRT/21/01/USA

Admin unit

CO-Algiers

Start date

01/09/2021

End date

31/08/2022

Total allocation

1459335

Total expenditure

Status

Closed

1459335

Development Partners

USA, Department of State

Country/Countries

Mauritania

Outcomes

Outcome 3: Economic, social and environmental transitions for full, productive and freely chosen employment and decent work for all
Outcome 4: Sustainable enterprises as generators of employment and promoters of innovation and decent work
Outcome 5: Skills and lifelong learning to facilitate access to and transitions in the labour market