All 195 countries · Western Africa

Mauritania

5.2 million people

Mauritania requires a biometric ID card from age 16 and launched a selfie-based digital ID app (Houwiyeti). The central bank signed a CBDC exploration deal with Giesecke+Devrient in 2024.

-1Sovereignty scoreRolling it outHow it adds up ↓

Digital ID · Goal 16.9

Digital ID in Mauritania

Program
Biometric national ID card (ANRPTS); Houwiyeti digital ID app
Status
Available, partial uptake
National ID card
ID card compulsory
Biometrics
Yes
Law
2012 decree on the national ID card

A 2012 decree makes the ID card mandatory for Mauritanians aged 16 and over enrolled in the National Biometric Population Register. A TECH5 platform pilot with UNDP and the digital ministry led to the Houwiyeti app, which matches a selfie to an ID or e-passport for e-service login.

Digital money · Goal 8.10

Central bank digital currency

Status
Research

In 2024 the Banque Centrale de Mauritanie signed a deal with Giesecke+Devrient for a joint CBDC investigation.

UN and WHO

How Mauritania has voted

WHO
Accepted the 2024 rule changes
Pandemic Agreement (May 2025)
No recorded objection
Migration compact (Dec 2018)
Voted yes
Paris climate deal
Party
SDG Index 2026
57.4 · rank 137 of 169
Progress reports to the UN (VNRs)
2

Sovereignty score

How the -1 adds up

  • -1Prices carbon nationally (tax or emissions trading) source ↗

Points come only from public, sourced actions we track, scored the same way for every country. It isn't a grade of a whole government. How scoring works →

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Country research checked Oct 2026. Tracker data checked 11 Oct 2026. Every claim links to its source.