Pray for Mauritania

Over 90 percent of Mauritania is covered by the Sahara Desert, making it one of the driest countries in the world. Its deserts are inhabited by millions of camels — a main source of transportation across the desert. The Senegal River forms much of the southern border and is used for drinking water, fishing, farming, and hydroelectric power. The nation’s name comes from the ancient Roman region, Mauretania, associated with the Mauri, or Moorish, peoples. Today, the nation is composed of both White Moors and Black Moors. Mauritania was established by the French to consolidate control over northwest Africa, and France ruled the nation until its independence in 1960. French is widely used for education and business, but Arabic is the official language. Pular, Soninke, and Wolof are also spoken within the three people groups.

Mauritania is abundant in natural resources such as iron, natural gas, and gold. Still, it is a low-income nation with many people living in poverty, especially those in rural communities. About 30 percent of the nation suffers from food insecurity, and malnutrition levels have reached a state of emergency. As one of the last nations in the world to abolish slavery, some of Mauritania’s population is still living in bondage. After slavery was abolished, many Haratins, or Black Moors, were tied to slave-owning White Moors through systems of forced labor where they are still stuck today. Slavery has been illegal since 2007, but enforcement is weak. Few slave owners are prosecuted, while anti-slavery activists have faced arrests for speaking out. Women also have limited access to education, job opportunities, and are often subjected to gender-based violence.

Mauritania is an Islamic Republic, and the Mauritanian constitution states that Islam is the religion of the people and the state. About 99 percent of the population follow Islam, and almost the entire population is Sunni Muslim. Public evangelism is heavily restricted, and converts from Islam often face pressure or persecution from their families, communities, and the government. Missionaries and local believers have been killed for spreading the Gospel, causing many believers to flee the country. Bibles cannot be printed within the nation, which means Mauritanians have limited access to the Word of God. Despite these barriers, Christian workers and a small group of believers continue to persevere. Pray for courage for believers and for the Spirit to move in the hearts of the vast Muslim population.