Image of Mauritanian journalists after a training course. Screenshot from the le360 Afrique YouTube Channel

On June 29, 2024, Mauritanians went to the polls to elect their next president in a country with the most advanced press freedom on the African continent.

According to the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) 2024 World Press Freedom Index, Mauritania ranked 33 out of 180 countries. In 2023, the country ranked 86 in this global press freedom analysis, scoring 59.45 out of 100. This significant increase of 53 places puts Mauritania in first place on the African continent and in the Arab world, thus providing a unique and favorable environment for journalists on this continent. This ranking is also one of the positive outcomes of President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani‘s many reforms. Ghazouani, who has been in office since 2019, supports press freedom for the country’s democratic development.

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In Mauritania, where 99 percent of the population is Muslim, Arabic is the country’s official language. Other national languages include Hassaniya Arabic, Pular, Soninke, and Wolof. Although French is not an official language, it is used as a working language in administration. Mauritanian media outlets thereby prioritize Arabic and produce their content in this language.

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Independent media diversity

All media types are available in Mauritania: print newspapers, news websites, television stations, radio stations, and social networks. These media types operate under the supervision of the High Authority for Press and Audiovisual Material (HAPA), a self-regulatory body that ensures the implementation of press legislation and regulations.

The Television of Mauritania (TVM) and Radio Mauritanie are the two main stations of the Mauritanian authorities and are broadcast in Arabic and French. Other state-owned media outlets include the Mauritanian News Agency (AMI), which reports the news in Arabic, French, and English, and Maurinews, a private Arabic-language news agency.

Print newspapers are also available in this country. These include Alakhbar, Mauritania's leading independent newspaper founded in 2003 and published in Arabic and French; the country's Arabic-language newspapers, Chaab and Al-Mourabit; its bilingual Arabic-French weeklies Le Calame (Al-Qalam) and le Quotidien de Nouakchott and its French-language newspapers L'Eveil-Hebdo, Horizons, and Nouakchott Info.

As with anywhere, the growth of the internet has compelled print media outlets to provide website alternatives to better connect with their readers. Besides, this digital revolution has also led to the creation of news websites like Cridem, Mauriweb, Chezvlane, Bellewarmedia, and Saharamedia. The liberalization of the media environment is a direct result of the positive changes made in domestic legislation. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) wrote:

En Mauritanie, les délits de presse ont été dépénalisés en 2011. Un texte voté en 2006 et modifié en 2011 renforce la liberté de la presse et intègre les principes généraux sur le droit à l’information et la protection des sources Le président Mohamed Ould Ghazouani s’est engagé, dès son entrée au pouvoir en 2019, à réformer la presse en Mauritanie et à professionnaliser le secteur(…)

In 2011, press offenses were decriminalized in Mauritania. This legislation, passed in 2006 and amended in 2011, strengthens press freedom and is based on the general principles of the right to information and source protection. Since coming to power in 2019, President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani has been committed to reforming Mauritania’s press sector and putting it on a more professional footing(…)

Several international media outlets also cover the latest developments in Mauritania. These outlets include Voice of America (VOA), Al Jazeera, France 24, Radio France Internationale (RFI), the Guardian, Africanews, BBC Afrique (BBC Africa) and Afrique XXI.

Social network use

According to Data Reportal, an online reference library, Mauritania’s internet penetration rate fell from 58.8 percent in 2023, when it had 2.82 million internet users, to just  44.4 percent in 2024, when it had 2.19 million internet users.

In early 2024, Data Reportal also reported that the country had 1.24 million social media users. TikTok dominated the digital landscape with 1.24 million users, followed by Facebook, now Meta, with 1.10 million users. Facebook Messenger had 376,800 users, followed by LinkedIn (130,000 members), Instagram (126,600 users), and X (formerly Twitter) with 5,500 users.

Biram Dah Abeid, the opposition leader and anti-slavery activist, is one of the most followed Mauritanian citizens on Facebook, with 18,000 followers.

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Concerns and uncertainty remain

Despite the progress towards press freedom, concerns remain about how to sustain the achievements made in freedom of expression. Mohamed Ould Ghazouani has shown his commitment to protecting media professionals, but acts of intimidation, threats, and imprisonment remain. In 2021, Abdellahi Mohamed Ould Atigha from the independent newspaper Al Hoora was arrested because of a Facebook post. In December 2023, the blogger Mohamed Vall Abdallah was also sentenced and detained because of a Facebook post. He was accused of calling for the overthrow of President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani. In May 2024, three journalists were victims of police violence when covering a doctor-led protest.

According to the 2023 Freedom in the World report that the monitoring body for worldwide freedom and democracy Freedom House conducted, Mauritania’s media does not have total independence. It states:

(…) les journalistes qui couvrent des sujets sensibles ou scrutent l'élite politique peuvent faire l'objet de harcèlement, d'écoutes téléphoniques et d'arrestations occasionnelles. Plusieurs lois répressives restent en droit, y compris celles qui criminalisent la diffamation, la diffusion d'informations « fausses », la cybercriminalité et le blasphème. Les autorités ont régulièrement arrêté des journalistes pour avoir publié des contenus critiques dans le passé.

(…) Journalists who cover sensitive topics or scrutinize the political establishment could be the subject of harassment, phone tapping, and arrests.  Several repressive laws remain in force, including those that criminalize defamation, the dissemination of “false” information, cybercrime, and blasphemy. The authorities have repeatedly arrested journalists for publishing critical content in the past.

A survey that the research network Afrobarometer conducted on the content published in Mauritanian media revealed the public’s expectations of media professionals to investigate and publish on corruption and the government’s mistakes.

What’s more, Mauritanian journalists’ financial circumstances constitute a significant issue. According to this article on the news website Kassataya, economic hardship harms journalists and leaves them at the mercy of all sorts of pressures:

(…)la rémunération insuffisante pour les vrais journalistes a contribué à leur érosion dans le secteur médiatique. Être un journaliste honnête et intègre est devenu synonyme de gagner un salaire médiocre, ce qui a conduit de nombreux professionnels du journalisme à chercher d’autres opportunités professionnelles plus lucratives.

(…)Inadequate remuneration for true journalists has led to a lack of them in the media sector. Being honest journalists with integrity now means earning a mediocre salary, thus leading many journalism professionals to look for more lucrative professional opportunities.