Mauritania’s Economic and Social Ambitions Collide: The Story of Diawling Park
published in April 2020
Over the past decade, Mauritania has made progress on the security and political stability fronts but has largely skirted social justice and equity questions. Such questions are never too far from the surface, especially as the country moves closer to realizing its vision of a resource-rich economy. Years of energy exploration and the promise of fortune are gradually transforming the country. Economic ambitions are clashing with human and environmental interests, but the country’s historical foundations and ways of governing might prove a drag on its grand plans for modernization. The story of Diawling National Park appears to be a microcosm of the challenges facing the state and citizens.