In a shocking event highlighting the widespread chaos in the labor market and the deterioration of social security in Mauritania, Mr. Cheikh Saad Bouh Ould Cheikh Mohamed Fadel, Administrative and Financial Director of the Ministry of Justice, was the victim of a brutal attack that nearly cost him his life. This crime cannot be separated from the accelerating deterioration of security conditions, which is a direct result of the lack of regulation over foreign employment. Foreigners are allowed to work without restrictions or oversight, leading to severe social, economic, and security crises.
This incident is not just an isolated criminal case, but a symptom of a much deeper catastrophe, revealing the dangerous consequences of unregulated policies that have allowed unidentified individuals to infiltrate the country unchecked. This has led to rising crime rates, pressure on public services, and increasing unemployment among Mauritanian youth, who are excluded from the labor market due to the exploitation of cheap foreign labor.
How Has the Chaos in the Labor Market Increased Security Risks?
In most countries, employing foreign workers follows strict legal regulations, including:
- Mandatory work permits, without which no foreigner can engage in any professional activity, under penalty of deportation or imprisonment.
- Monitoring of legal residency, ensuring it matches the type of work performed.
- Taxation and financial obligations, ensuring that foreign workers contribute to the local economy.
However, Mauritania suffers from a complete lack of these regulations, turning its labor market into an uncontrolled space for foreign workers operating without permits or tax obligations, leading to:
✔️ Rising unemployment among Mauritanians, as employers prefer cheaper foreign labor.
✔️ Draining of national currency, due to uncontrolled money transfers abroad.
✔️ Increase in crime rates, due to the lack of oversight over the identities of foreign workers.
✔️ Growing pressure on public services, such as healthcare and education, without a fair contribution from foreign workers through taxes.
The Attack on Cheikh Saad Bouh: A Warning That Must Be Taken Seriously
The assault on Mr. Cheikh Saad Bouh Ould Cheikh Mohamed Fadel is a loud wake-up call exposing the severity of the current situation. The lack of labor market regulation is no longer just an economic issue, but a direct threat to national security and social stability.
🔴 If the authorities do not take urgent action to regulate foreign employment and enforce strict control over work and residence permits, crime and social instability could spiral out of control, pushing the country into an irreversible crisis.
What Is the Solution?
🔹 Job opportunities must remain exclusively reserved for Mauritanians, without exceptions, to protect employment for citizens and reduce unemployment rates.
🔹 Work permits for foreigners must be strictly regulated, granted only in exceptional cases justified by actual market needs, with limited duration and strict renewal conditions.
🔹 Strict legal penalties should be imposed on any employer – individuals or companies – hiring foreigners without valid work permits, including heavy fines, administrative closures, or legal prosecution for repeat offenses.
🔹 Mandatory taxes and fees should be imposed on foreign workers, ensuring they contribute fairly to the local economy and do not access public services for free.
🔹 Strengthening internal security and identity checks for foreigners, to prevent foreign labor from being used as a cover for criminal activities or security threats.
🔹 Strict monitoring of money transfers abroad, to prevent currency drainage and protect the national economy from uncontrolled financial flows.
📢 Implementing these measures effectively will restore balance to the labor market, protect social security, and strengthen Mauritania’s economic sovereignty before this chaos escalates into an uncontrollable crisis. 🚨
Written by Engineer El Hadj SIDI BRAHIM SIDI HYAHYA
Read more on this link: https://www.elhodh.info/en/al-hawd-news-2/
