Mauritania’s Sports Minister Calls for Budget Review Amid Funding Disparities
Mauritania’s Minister of Sports, Houleymata Sao, is pushing for a re-evaluation of the 2015 budget allocated to her department, which currently stands at just over 1.3 billion ouguiyas (approximately €3.6 million). A significant 70% of this budget is earmarked for civil servant salaries, leaving little room to fund development programs, sports infrastructure, or youth initiatives.
In her presentation to parliament, Sao outlined an ambitious action plan for the coming year, stressing the need for increased investment in sports and youth development. Although several MPs expressed sympathy and support, they ultimately redirected the request to the Ministry of Finance, which controls the state’s purse strings.
This funding bottleneck is expected to negatively impact various sports federations and youth associations, many of which already operate under severe financial constraints.
Sao also highlighted a disparity in budget allocations by comparing the sports ministry’s funds with those of the health sector, particularly the budget for overtime pay, which amounts to 1.4 billion ouguiyas (€3.85 million)—more than her entire departmental budget.
The minister’s plea underlines the challenges faced by the sports sector in Mauritania, where financial prioritization remains a key hurdle to meaningful development and long-term planning.
