Ahead of COP29 and COP16, high-level mission urges support to Mauritania and to climate-vulnerable and food insecure countries in the Sahel
In collaboration with the Government, from 30 September to 04 October, WFP led a high-level climate and resilience mission including senior climate, development, and humanitarian officials from the European Union, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United Staes of America.
The visit allowed partners to see first-hand efforts by the Government of Mauritania and WFP to build the resilience of communities and mitigate the adverse impacts of the climate crisis on food security and nutrition across the Sahel. The visit also provided the opportunity for WFP to call for enhanced international collaboration to enable Mauritania and the Sahel region to reverse desertification and achieve Zero Hunger.
“Interventions aimed at meeting the challenges posed by the adverse effects of climate change and its impact on food security and nutrition have occupied an important place in the commitments of H.E. the President of the Republic, Mr. Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani as part of his electoral program - My ambition for the country - currently being implemented by the Government,” said Moctar Ould Diay, Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania.
“Our collaboration with the World Food Programme and other partners demonstrates that building resilience in the face of climate change and accelerated desertification can bring multiple benefits across the humanitarian, climate, peace, and development sectors, and are cost effective. Together, we can create a more sustainable future for Mauritania that is aligned with the vision and ambition for resilience and climate adaption of the President of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania " he stressed.
Over the past decade, climate-related disasters have impacted 1.7 billion people worldwide, with the most vulnerable communities bearing the brunt of the crisis. In the Sahel – which is already struggling with food insecurity due to the combine effects of conflict, population displacement and high prices – the consequences of the climate crisis are particularly severe, leaving people with limited options to cope.
In an effort to address these challenges, WFP teamed up with national governments, community members, national and international organizations to restore degraded lands, build climate-resilient infrastructure, support human capital development by improving nutrition and education and generating economic opportunities, especially for women and youth. a
“Mauritania is among the countries that contribute the least to climate change, yet it faces the heavy consequences of the climate crisis,” said Valerie Guarnieri, WFP’s Assistant Executive Director who led the high-level mission to Mauritania. “We need urgent action at scale, joint advocacy as well as financial and technical collaboration across governments to support climate resilience investments in Mauritania, the Sahel, and across the world,” she noted.
Throughout the five-day visit, participants engaged with government officials, donor representatives, UN partners, and community members through political dialogue, roundtables and focus group discussions.
In the village of Gvava Gourjma in the Assaba region, the mission witnessed firsthand the transformative impacts of integrated resilience solutions that the Government, WFP, UNICEF and partners have been supporting since 2019. These solutions include water harvesting and soil stabilization techniques which are able to combat climate extremes.
WFP’s integrated resilience programme includes restoring natural assets and ecosystems, providing school meals at primary schools and supporting the treatment and prevention of malnutrition. After five years of implementation in Mauritania, water availability and land productivity have improved, leading to higher food and fodder production. In 2024, household food production in targeted areas was enough to cover six months of basic needs, compared to three months in 2019.
“Our work in the Sahel is critical in meeting and reducing hunger and humanitarian needs. We are committed to working with governments and local partners to replicate and scale up these cost-effective solutions across the Sahel and other regions, helping communities adapt and thrive,” Guarnieri added.
The high-level mission underscored the urgency and importance of scaling-up political, financial and technical support across the Sahel; investing in systems strengthening at all levels; and supporting access to financing for climate and resilience solutions.
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The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.
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