Module 1 : Successful personal integration in Mauritania

1. Cross-cultural awareness : the key to a successful expatriation

• Taking stock of one's own cultural baggage
• Culture shock and the integration process
• Identifying and going beyond cultural stereotypes

2. Key aspects of Mauritanian culture

• A country of the Maghreb region, an Islamic civilization, the impact of colonization
• A multifaceted society: black Africans, Moors and Tuaregs
• An outstanding cultural heritage
• A country experiencing major difficulties despite its massive resources
• The challenges of development and the fight against poverty

3. Mauritanian values and behaviour patterns

• The values of Sunni Islam and the sharia system
• The influence of primitive beliefs
• The family and the community: cornerstones of society
• Ethnic origin, tribes and castes: community influences
• A reverence for religion and spiritual guides
• Meals and tea: a sign of integration
• Respect for age and status
• Women in Mauritania: wives, mothers and men’s “other halves”.
• Attitudes to risk and uncertainty

4. Practical day-to-day information

• Focus on the host town
• Transport, administration, housing, security, hygiene and healthcare
• Social life, leisure activities, schools, extracurricular activities, sport
• Chinguetti: one of Islam’s Holy Cities
   

Module 2 : Successful professional integration in Mauritania

1. The Mauritanian corporate world

• Sunni Islam and the business world
• Hierarchical and collective decision making
• The influence of the state, of the army and of foreign investment
• Market, employment and turnover

2. Effective communication with the Mauritanians

• Paying care and attention to protocol and greetings
• Hassaniya Arabic, dialects and the French language
• Understanding spoken language
• Successfully joining networks

3. Working with Mauritanian teams

• Effective management: giving, listening and observing
• Operational skills: patience, respect and empathy
• Building trust and confidence
• Motivating, delegating, providing feedback, boosting self-esteem and handling conflicts

4. Successful meetings and negotiations with the Mauritanians

• The preparation phase
• Identifying decision makers and showing respect for rank
• Time and deadline management
• Written contracts, their interpretation and implications

5. Final handy tips

• Caution, patience and humility
• Social standards, gifts, business cards, dress code
• Sensitive subjects: politics, history, religion
• Humour: a double-edged sword