NDI has been engaged in Mauritania since November 2003, providing consultations and practical skills-building opportunities to political party, government, and civic partners to support their efforts to strengthen democratic processes and institutions. In the wake of the 2005 coup d’état, Mauritania embarked on a democratic transition resulting in a duly-elected civilian government in 2007. Further strengthening of the democratic process was hindered, however, by a coup d’état in 2008 and, more broadly, by persistent barriers to citizen input and participatory politics.
Following elections held in 2009, Mauritanian citizens are seeking increased accountability from their elected representatives. Similarly, newly elected members of parliament (MPs), as members of the first truly representative institution in the country, have an unprecedented opportunity to engage citizens in the democratic process and prevent a return to past power struggles and public disenchantment.
Elections
In advance of the 2006 legislative and municipal elections, the Institute conducted training programs for political party poll watchers to support efforts to ensure elections met international standards. In 2007, as Mauritania prepared for its first democratic presidential election, NDI facilitated the first public presidential debates in the country’s history, while aiding political parties to run effective campaigns. Also in 2007, for the second round of the presidential election, NDI sent an international delegation to assess the political environment, identify potential weaknesses in the election law and demonstrate the international community's support for a peaceful, transparent and fair electoral process.
Parliamentary Assistance
Mauritania's newly elected parliament, the first fully independent and freely elected legislature in the country’s history, has the opportunity and popular support to exercise considerable oversight to hold the historically powerful presidency and military accountable. Most of the MPs, however, are first-time officeholders, lacking the understanding of their roles and responsibilities that comes with experience. After conducting focus group research on citizens' perceptions of the parliament, the Institute shared the findings with MPs and conducted trainings on how the parliament can best interact with the media to accurately portray its efforts and accomplishments.
NDI also provided technical assistance on the drafting of parliamentary rules of procedure and continues to provide ongoing support to the National Assembly as it strives to become a more efficient, cohesive, and accountable legislature.
Outreach and direct communication with voters are essential for creating responsibility, responsiveness and accountability among elected politicians. NDI assists MPs to engage citizens by organizing "Mobile Parliament" roundtables around the country that gather together the current MPs from a specific district, civil society organizations and community leaders to discuss key issues of local concern.
The Institute also seeks to strengthen links between elected officials and Mauritanian youth by conducting a parliamentary internship program. Through the program, young people have the opportunity to engage in politics and develop legislative and leadership skills, while MPs and caucuses get extra help conducting their daily operations.
Media Strengthening
The Institute works with the Mauritanian media to improve their ability to objectively and professionally report on the government and parliament. In partnership with a local NGO, the Institute delivers a training series for Mauritanian media professionals from print, television, radio and online media outlets. The workshop series trains journalists on investigative journalism, media ethics, developing codes of conduct, and utilizing new media to reach broader audiences. The result is more professional reporting on political issues and increased transparency of how government works.
Political Party Support
The Institute's work with political parties focuses on their ability to effectively participate in elections and enhance women's involvement within the parties. For example, NDI worked with political parties to enact a 20 percent quota for women in legislative and municipal elections. Past activities have included consultations with party leaders and roundtables on increasing women's political representation or comparative models of electoral systems.
NDI is currently working with political parties represented in the Mauritanian National Assembly on caucus-building and coalition management. The Institute also hosts an ongoing series of workshops and consultations on defining legislative priorities, developing research staff, compromise and negotiation skills and constituent relations.
Resource Center
Since early 2006, the Institute has operated a resource center as a politically neutral place for political parties, civil society organizations and MPs to share information, network, access resources and participate in NDI-sponsored trainings. The center gives NDI’s partners access to computers with high-speed Internet access, printers and photocopying services and a conference room for trainings and other gatherings. A French and Arabic library provides resources for political party management, legislative research and advocacy, along with other related references and news materials. Resource center staff also provide regular assistance to journalists on the strategic use of new media tools.
Publications
- Mauritania Election Bulletins | August 2009 | July 2009 | June 2009
- Public Perceptions of the Parliament in the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, September 2007»
- 2007 Mauritanian Presidential Election: An Assessment Mission Report, May 2007»
- A Practical Guide to the Nomination of Candidates (Arabic), November 2006»
Contact Information
For more information about these programs, use our contact form or contact:
Washington, D.C.
Nicole Rowsell, Senior Program Manager
(202) 728-6356
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