STOCKHOLM, 23 June. - (ANA) - SIPRI has launched a new film exploring the interconnected challenges affecting communities in Mauritania and the importance of strengthening social cohesion and resilience in the face of growing pressures in the Sahel region.

 

The film is part of SIPRI’s work within the Sahel Resilience Programme, an initiative implemented in partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ). The programme aims to strengthen understanding of how humanitarian and development responses can support social cohesion and resilience in fragile contexts across the Sahel.

 

Mauritania faces a combination of overlapping pressures that affect livelihoods and human security. Communities in southern parts of the country, including Mauritania’s Guidimaka region, experience increasing challenges linked to climate variability, food insecurity, economic vulnerability and limited access to essential services. These pressures can strain relations between communities and increase the risk of local tensions, particularly in areas where resources are limited.

 

The film presents insights from fieldwork conducted in the Guidimaka region, highlighting how communities experience these interconnected challenges in their daily lives. Drawing on interviews with local residents and stakeholders, the film illustrates how environmental stress, livelihood challenges and social vulnerability shape relationships within and between communities.

 

By bringing together local perspectives and analytical insights, the film highlights the importance of integrated approaches that consider both immediate humanitarian needs and longer-term development challenges. It also illustrates how strengthened social cohesion can help communities better manage shocks and reduce the risk of tensions escalating into conflict.

 

 

 

 

The Sahel Resilience Programme is a multi-partner initiative involving WFP, UNICEF, GIZ and SIPRI. The programme seeks to strengthen understanding of the relationships between humanitarian action, development, social cohesion and resilience across the Sahel region. SIPRI’s contribution focuses on generating research and analysis to support evidence-based programming and policy development.  - (ANA) -

 

To watch the video, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ds9eYnVwSk

 

 

AB/ANA/23 June 2026 - - -