Independent from France in 1960, Mauritania annexed the southern third of the former Spanish Sahara (now Western Sahara) in 1976, but relinquished it after three years of raids by the Polisario guerrilla front seeking independence for the territory. Opposition parties were legalized and a new constitution approved in 1991. Two multiparty presidential elections since then were widely seen as flawed, but October 2001 legislative and municipal elections were generally free and open. Mauritania remains, in reality, a one-party state. The country continues to experience ethnic tensions between its black minority population and the dominant Maur (Arab-Berber) populace. (Description by Wikipedia.org)
Visit the following organizations offering volunteer abroad opportunities in Mauritania:
Peace Corp - Peace Corps volunteers travel overseas and make real differences in the lives of real people.
African Conservation Foundation - A volunteer organization dedicated to supporting and linking African conservation initiatives, groups and NGOs, with the aim to strengthen their capacity, build partnerships and promote effective communication and co-ordination of conservation efforts. Offers volunteer opportunities abroad.
