In early September, Mauritania became the 12th country on the continent to reach the WHO target of vaccinating at least 10% of the population by the end of the month; by 7 October, more than 580.000 people had been fully vaccinated, 12% of the population

Fifty thousand fishermen in Nouadhibou depend on the country's octopus trade; in the first quarter of 2023, Mauritanian octopus accounted for almost 40% of Japan's total imports of this delicacy

Mauritanian security forces are believed to have played a role in the post-election violence and at least three deaths after incumbent President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani's presidential election victory last week

A few days before the presidential elections in Mauritania, at least three people died in clashes between security forces and protesters and an unknown number of people were injured

Around 2 million people are expected to vote in the presidential elections in Mauritania; the country's first democratically elected president is seeking a second and final five-year term