Mauritania has committed to supplying Senegal with 450,000 sheep under a new agreement. This critical livestock shipment to Dakar comes as traditional regional suppliers face dwindling contributions, primarily due to escalating insecurity in Mali, a long-standing source of cattle for Senegal.

Furthermore, Nouakchott is also expected to help meet some of Côte d’Ivoire’s Tabaski sheep requirements, a decision similarly influenced by the challenging sub-regional security landscape.

Alioune Kane, a technician with the National Grouping of Pastoral Associations (GNAP), shed light on the situation. He explained that an existing protocol has been renewed. Typically, Mauritanian herders export between 460,000 and 500,000 sheep to Senegal. However, this year, the total Mauritania sheep supply is projected to increase significantly due to the ongoing insecurity in Mali, a route traditionally used by herders from eastern regions to reach Senegal.

Kane confirmed that many Mauritanian herders have already entered Senegalese territory, making their way to Dakar and other major urban centers across the nation. To ensure the smooth execution of the Tabaski operation, the Senegalese government has pledged to implement all necessary security, administrative, customs, and sanitary measures.

Baba Hassan Sidi, who manages GNAP operations in the Néma region, reminisced about a time when Mali was free from insecurity. Back then, Mauritanian herders from regions like Néma and Aïoun would routinely traverse Malian territory to enter Senegal with their livestock.

This year, however, herders must utilize an alternative, secure route to reach Senegal. This involves a river crossing from the Trarza region, directly entering Senegalese territory. This new corridor significantly extends the truck journey for livestock originating from Mauritania’s eastern regions.

Sidi emphasized that numerous herders are already present in Senegal, operating under an arrangement that upholds the long-standing, historic ties between the people of Mauritania and Senegal.