Saudi Fund for Development Supports Water and Energy Infrastructure Projects in Mauritania

The Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) has reinforced its development partnership with Mauritania by supporting major water and energy infrastructure projects through concessional financing agreements.

SFD Chief Executive Officer Sultan bin Abdulrahman Al-Marshad participated in the foundation stone-laying ceremony for a project to supply potable drinking water to the city of Kiffa from the Senegal River, in the presence of Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani and Saudi Ambassador to Mauritania Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Raqabi. The project is being co-financed by the SFD through a $100 million concessional development loan.

The water supply project aims to address the growing demand for safe drinking water, reduce dependence on unsafe sources, curb the spread of waterborne diseases, and strengthen long-term water security. Once completed, the project is expected to benefit more than 500,000 people across 25 villages and residential communities, supported by a pipeline network extending over 250 kilometres.

In addition, Al-Marshad signed a $60 million concessional development loan agreement with Mauritania’s Minister of Economic Affairs and Development, Abdullah Suleiman Cheikh Sidiya, to help finance an electricity interconnection project between Mauritania and Mali, along with the development of associated solar power stations.

The energy project is designed to enhance Mauritania’s power sector by expanding electricity transmission and distribution infrastructure. It will connect cities from Nouakchott across 1,373 kilometres, supply electricity to 150 villages and residential communities, and establish 11 substations operating at 225 kilovolts with a combined capacity of 600 megawatts. The initiative is expected to improve living standards for over 480,000 beneficiaries.

These initiatives form part of the long-standing development cooperation between the Saudi Fund for Development and Mauritania, which dates back to 1979. Over the years, the SFD has supported 31 development projects and programmes in the country through concessional loans and grants from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with total financing of approximately $1 billion, contributing to the growth of key sectors across Mauritania.