The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, through its Department of Economic Affairs and Agriculture, has finalized a Memorandum of Understanding with the Islamic Republic of Mauritania in Nouakchott on November 14, 2025, ECOWAS stated. The agreement aims to support the harmonization and improvement of statistical systems across West and Central Africa. As part of the World Bank–funded Project for the Harmonization and Improvement of Statistics in West and Central Africa, the agreement will support Mauritania’s participation in statistical harmonization activities undertaken by ECOWAS.
The agreement will also provide technical assistance and opportunities for knowledge and experience sharing. Technical experts from the ECOWAS Commission and Mauritania’s Agence Nationale de la Statistique et de l’Analyse Démographique et Économique reviewed key areas of cooperation and Mauritania’s participation in the regional activities of the HISWACA project, aiming to deepen mutual understanding and identify concrete avenues for collaboration. All articles of the MoU have been agreed upon by both ECOWAS and ANSADE, with the signing ceremony scheduled to take place at a later date.
Dr. Kalilou Sylla, Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture at the ECOWAS Commission, held a series of meetings with government authorities and development partners in Nouakchott to advance cooperation on the implementation of the MoU. He met with Mr. Mohamed El Moctar Ahmed Sidi, Director General of ANSADE; Mr. Yeslem Hamdane, Chargé de Mission at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Development; Mr. Jean Senahoun, FAO Representative in Mauritania; and H.E. Joaquin Tasso Villalonga, Ambassador of the EU Delegation to Mauritania.
Earlier, the ECOWAS delegation also met with Mr. Ibou Diouf, Resident Representative of the World Bank in Mauritania. The meetings aimed to build support for the MoU and discuss practical steps for its implementation. The HISWACA project represents a broader effort to improve the quality, availability, and use of statistics across West and Central Africa, helping governments and development partners make better-informed decisions.
Better statistical systems are critical for monitoring development progress, tracking economic trends, and designing effective policies. The partnership between ECOWAS and Mauritania reflects a regional commitment to building stronger data infrastructure that can support evidence-based policymaking and help countries measure progress toward development goals. The collaboration also provides a platform for sharing best practices and technical expertise across national statistical offices in the region.
