Nouakchott

Nouakchott is a rapidly expanding desert capital built on low coastal land protected in part by a fragile dune cordon. Urban growth, sand extraction and sea-level rise increase exposure to marine flooding, while dispersed settlement has historically made water, sanitation and waste services difficult to provide evenly.

Current resilience policy combines coastal protection with better urban infrastructure. The WACA+ programme will reinforce the dune system protecting the capital, while earlier urban-development programmes upgraded informal neighbourhoods, basic municipal services and land management. African Development Bank urban support also focuses on climate resilience and mobility planning. Nouakchott’s future growth therefore depends on treating the coast, land development and basic services as a single system, protecting vulnerable areas while directing expansion toward land that can be connected efficiently to water, transport and public infrastructure.