Mauritania Hosts 305,000 Refugees, Majority from Mali, as Insecurity Drives New Arrivals

Mauritania now shelters an estimated 305,000 refugees and asylum‑seekers, most of whom fled the ongoing insecurity in neighboring Mali. The bulk of the population—about 290,000—settles in the southeast Hodh Chargui region, where the Mbera Camp, established in 2012, houses roughly 120,000 refugees. An additional 170,000 live within host communities across the region. Urban centers are also significant: Nouakchott and Nouadhibou together accommodate nearly 14,000 refugees and asylum‑seekers from Mali and 47 other nationalities, and serve as key transit points for movements toward North Africa and Europe. The volatile security situation in Mali continues to spur new arrivals. In response, UNHCR and partners remain prepared to manage further influxes while supporting the Mauritanian government in strengthening inclusive systems, ensuring equitable access to protection and essential services, and advancing refugee registration and status determination.