Success Stories

Global Economic Statecraft Day:

On June 14, Ambassador Powell welcomed Mauritanian business leaders and government officials to the embassy to discuss Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's initiative to use diplomacy to advance global economic renewal. The ambassador remarked that the U.S.- North African Partnership for Economic Opportunity (NAPEO) and its newly-formed board here in Mauritania offers great promise to create jobs for youth through education and skills training and building people-to-people and business partnerships with the United States. She also touched on the success of the African Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA), which has promoted an affirmative and robust trade and investment agenda, provided a framework for improved access to U.S. credit and technical expertise, and established a high-level dialogue on reciprocal trade and investment since its creation in 2000. Ambassador Powell emphasized that the embassy team is here to facilitate economic opportunities and strengthen ties between the U.S. and Mauritania. Mohamed Ould Beybou, Vice President of the Mauritanian Association of Employers, also gave remarks, commenting on the strength of economic relations between the two nations.
Press Release and information regarding event can be found at: http://mauritania.usembassy.gov/pr-061412.html

American Firms 

Prior to 2011, there were no American firms operating in Mauritania; now two minerals firms have a presence here.  Caracal Gold is a subsidiary of Electrum Mining, located in Denver, Colorado and is currently exploring for gold near the Tasiast site in north-western Mauritania.  Kosmos Energy, a petroleum company based in Dallas, Texas, signed an agreement with the Mauritanian government on April 5 approving off-shore exploration for oil in Mauritania’s northern costal basin.
 
Trade Fairs 

Recently, the Commercial Assistant at U.S. Embassy Nouakchott accompanied four trade delegations to American trade fairs, which have fostered interest in the importation of American products.  The delegation that attended the 2010 Automotive Aftermarket Show in Las Vegas purchased at least $450,000 worth of products as a result of trade links established during the fair.  The 2011 COSMOPROF fair brought over $40,000 worth of American imports. Due to the highly successfully trade delegations, two Mauritanian consultants for pharmaceuticals and cosmetics will attend an upcoming houseware trade show in New York City.  

The U.S. Embassy Nouakchott sent its Economic /Commercial Assistant to lead two Mauritanian trade delegations to the mining sector International Buyers Program trade fair, MINExpo 2012,  and the renewable energy trade fair, Retech 2012.  Of the 14 Mauritanian participants, five were from the parastatal iron ore mining company, SNIM (Societe Nationale pour l'Industry Miniere) including the CEO of the company. The delegations committed over $200 million on U.S. products and machinery at MINExpo and 16 matchmaking contacts at Retech.

 Small to Medium Enterprises

With the relatively inexpensive dollar and the perceived quality of American goods, small- and medium-sized enterprises have also turned their attention towards trade with the U.S.  In a collaborative effort, the Union of Women and Mauritanian businesswomen imported over $500,000 worth of shoes, computers, cosmetics, furniture, and housewares from the U.S. during the past year.  A local IT firm purchased over $1 million in heavy machinery for the installation of an optical fiber system in Mauritania and spent $600,000 on modems.  A local pharmaceutical lab recently spent $15,000 on products, and is currently in negotiations to become a brand representative for an American company.
The U.S. Embassy Nouakchott, Mauritania assumes no responsibility or liability for the professional ability or reputation of, or the equality of services provided by any persons or firms. Inclusion in this list is in no way an endorsement by the Department of State or the U.S. Embassy. Names are listed alphabetically, and the order in which they appear has no other significance. The information on the list on professional credentials, areas of expertise and language ability are provided directly by the lawyers. You may receive additional information about individuals by contacting the local bar association (or its equivalent) or the local licensing authorities.