Dialogue
Monthly seminars and an elite salon that bring opponents together on questions of state and society.
- Elite & National Dialogue Salon
- “Reading a Book” series with the authors present
- Public-policy review roundtables
محيط
In Arabic: the ocean — and everything around us.
Mouhitt Center for Development, Women's Issues and Peace
An independent think tank in Nouakchott, founded in 2017 and led by historian and former minister Dr. Mekfoula Agatt. It brings government and opposition, Mauritania's elites, Arab thinkers and international partners to one table — on women's empowerment, development and civil peace.
- Dialogue
- Development
- Peace
What the centre has done
- 2021–2024Four regional forums with ALECSO
Women leaders from the Arab world and Africa in Nouakchott — guests from 14 Arab countries at a single forum — under the patronage of the First Lady.
- 2021A UN High Representative at the centre
Miguel Ángel Moratinos, UN High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations, on the alliance of cultures and women's role in peace.
- 2019–2025Ambassadors and international bodies
The ambassadors of the United States, France, Germany and Japan, the Arab League, and the Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation.
- 2023Rights training with UNESCO
Women and girls in Nouadhibou trained on their fundamental rights, under UNESCO's Participation Programme.
- 2026Elite & National Dialogue Salon
Civil peace and the elite's role in a shared national identity, with figures from across the spectrum.
- 2019“Guantánamo Diary” with its author
A debate with Mohamedou Ould Slahi before former ministers, ambassadors and MPs, two years before the film “The Mauritanian”.
2017year founded
71documented, sourced activities
14partners and partner institutions
29media outlets that covered its work
About
A platform for every point of view
The centre deliberately invites speakers with opposing views — government and opposition, every school of thought — because valuing common ground and accepting difference is where it starts.
Development
Women's economic, cultural and political empowerment, in Nouakchott and beyond.
- Four regional forums with ALECSO
- Rights training for women and girls (Nouadhibou, with UNESCO)
- Entrepreneurship in the creative industries
Peace
Spreading a culture of peace and tolerance, and meeting extremist ideas with ideas.
- Partnerships with the G5 Sahel and the African Peace Network
- MoU with the Global Council for Tolerance and Peace
- International Day of Peace; action against violence towards women
“Before it is an act, terrorism is an idea — and an idea is met with an idea. What we do at Mouhitt is spread a culture of peace through debate and dialogue.”
Dr. Mekfoula Agatt, President — 2023
Flagship
Four regional forums on Arab women's empowerment
An annual partnership with ALECSO, the Arab League's education, culture and science organisation, and Mauritania's Ministry of Culture, bringing women leaders from the Arab world and Africa to Nouakchott.
13 November 2021
“Empowering Creative Women in Arab Countries — Persistent and Emerging Challenges”
Three days with 25 women leaders from across the Arab world, a UAE delegation led by Sheikha Al Yazia bint Nahyan, film screenings, an exhibition at the Diplomatic Academy and research papers, including one from Lebanon's National Commission for UNESCO. It produced the Nouakchott Declaration — “We have no time to lose: let us empower women” — and the President of the Republic received ALECSO's Director-General for the occasion.
228 December 2022
“Promoting Women's Leadership for Peace and Sustainable Development in the Arab Region”
At the Palais des Congrès under the First Lady's patronage, with delegations from Tunisia, Sudan, Oman, Lebanon, Egypt and beyond, Tunisia's Minister of Cultural Affairs as guest of honour, and UNDP. Sessions covered women in national consensus-building, social justice, conflict resolution and sustainable development; a welcome committee of deaf young women and an exhibition of eco-friendly women's projects. The Prime Minister received the participants, and the forum closed at Mouhitt's headquarters.
331 October 2023
“Women's Entrepreneurship in the Cultural and Creative Industries”
At the Diplomatic Academy, with guests from 14 Arab countries — ministers, MPs, writers, media executives — an exhibition on women's entrepreneurship and a performance by Malouma Mint Meidah; national television covered the opening and closing.
428 October 2024
“Women in the Arab World and Africa — Cultural Challenges, Merits and Opportunities”
Three days in Nouakchott under the patronage of the First Lady, opened by Culture Minister El Houssein Ould Meddou with ALECSO's Director-General, on women's role in peacebuilding, development and decision-making, with a group of leading Arab women intellectuals.
All four forums were held under the high patronage of the First Lady, Dr. Mariem Mohamed Fadel Dah.
Guests
They came to Mouhitt
Ambassadors, UN and Arab officials, and thinkers — at the centre's headquarters and on its stage.
14 December 2021
Miguel Ángel Moratinos, UN High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations: “The alliance of cultures in the face of threats”
At Mouhitt's headquarters, on UN strategies against violence against women, for coexistence and against terrorism, and on women's role in building peace — before intellectuals, officials and business leaders.
21 December 2019
Visit by the US Ambassador, Michael Dodman
An open discussion session at the centre, where he was briefed on its activities and projects.
1 October 2019
International Day of Peace: Arab League delegation led by Assistant Secretary-General Haifa Abu Ghazaleh
The Assistant Secretary-General for Social Affairs visited the centre and was briefed on its programmes; its International Day of Peace activities closed with a dinner for the delegation at the Mauri Center hotel.
29 January 2020
Visit by the French Ambassador, Robert Moulié
A presentation of the centre's work and possible areas of cooperation.
13 November 2019
Visit by the German Ambassador, Gabriela Guellil
With Rolf Krauss of the German Foreign Office, on women in peacebuilding, coexistence and tolerance.
21 December 2023
Visit by the Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation (CMI, Finland)
The organisation founded by the Nobel Peace laureate and former Finnish president, specialised in mediation and dialogue to resolve conflicts.
14 September 2024
Memorandum of understanding with the Global Council for Tolerance and Peace
Signed at Mouhitt's headquarters by the president and the Council's president Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Jarwan, to support development initiatives, women's role in peacebuilding and a culture of tolerance.
27 February 2025
Japan's ambassador sings at the centre: cultural diplomacy
Japan's ambassador to Mauritania performed well-known Japanese songs at Mouhitt's headquarters — cultural diplomacy at its best, in the president's words.
Latest activities
From the archive
The most recent documented activities, each with its own page and public sources.
16 September 2026
Statements & publications
President's essay: “Their women are held in higher esteem than the men”
From Ibn Battuta's account of Oualata to today's question: how can Mauritanian women's historic social standing become modern institutional power?
26 March 2026
Statements & publications
Statement: women left out of party delegations to the national dialogue
The centre raised concern at the near-total absence of women from the parties' proposed delegations and urged them to revise their lists in line with the spirit of the Constitution.
7 August 2025
Seminars & debates
National roundtable: six years of social policy, between official ambition and the voice of society
An assessment of 2019–2025 social policies with government, opposition, civil society and experts at the Mauri Center hotel; speakers included Mohamed Jemil Mansour, Dr. Abbass Ebrahim and MP Mohamed Lemine Sidi Maouloud.
27 February 2025
Visits & guests
Japan's ambassador sings at the centre: cultural diplomacy
Japan's ambassador to Mauritania performed well-known Japanese songs at Mouhitt's headquarters — cultural diplomacy at its best, in the president's words.
29 January 2025
Statements & publications
Reading and signing of the president's novel “Wajbat Samak” (A Meal of Fish)
At the Mauritanian Writers' Union, with responses from its president El Khalil Ennahoui and poets Mohamed Ould Taleb and Mohamed Ould Idoumou.
10 January 2024
Statements & publications
Novel “Wajbat Samak” published by Dar Al-Nukhba
The president's first novel: a young man from the Hodh Chargui between medicine, administration and corruption, against a backdrop of migration and coups.
9 December 2023
Seminars & debates
“The Turbans of the Generous” — seminar for the 16 Days against gender-based violence, with BP Mauritanie
A major seminar at the Hotel Vasq during the 16 Days of Activism, covered by El Mouritaniya TV.
7 November 2023
Visits & guests
3rd forum guests at the headquarters: a film and an evening of poetry
Guests of the 3rd Arab forum watched a short film introducing the centre, then heard young poets read alongside Dr. Bata El Bara and Emir Mohamed Idoum.
President
Dr. Mekfoula Mint Hamoudi Agatt
Founder and President
Historian, writer and former minister. She has led the centre since its founding, bringing together experience of government and diplomacy, historical research and literary writing.
- 2022Chargée de mission, Office of the Prime Minister
- 2022Vice-President, Arab Peace Group
- 2014Minister-Delegate to the Foreign Minister for Maghreb and African Affairs
- 2011Secretary-General, National Commission for Education, Culture and Science
- 2002–2010Adjunct lecturer, Department of History, University of Nouakchott
- 1999–2007Head of Legal Affairs, National Assembly
The president's full biography
Memoirs of a Woman ReaderDar Ward, Amman — 2021
Wajbat Samak (A Meal of Fish)novel, Dar Al-Nukhba — 2024
Partners
Partners and agreements
In the media
Who has covered our work
National media
International media and organisations
Contact
Our headquarters in Nouakchott
Address
Nouakchott, east of the Presidential Palace
Email