First law: 1965.

Current law: 1967 (Law No. 67039 of 27 March, social security system).

Type of program: Social insurance system.

Wage earners, including temporary and casual workers, seamen, household workers, trainees, apprentices, and technical college students.

Voluntary coverage for persons previously insured for at least six consecutive months.

Exclusions: Self-employed persons.

Special systems for civil servants and armed forces personnel.

Insured person: 1% of covered earnings.

The maximum monthly earnings used to calculate contributions are 70,000 ouguiyas.

Self-employed person: Not applicable.

Employer: 2% of covered monthly payroll.

The maximum monthly earnings used to calculate contributions are 70,000 ouguiyas.

Employers with 20 or more employees pay contributions monthly; employers with one to 19 employees pay quarterly.

Government: None.

Old-age pension: Age 60 (men) or age 55 (women) with at least 20 years of coverage, including at least 60 months of contributions in the last 10 years (including contributions made under the previous program). The pensionable age is reduced by five years if the insured is prematurely aged. Employment must cease.

The pension is payable abroad only under reciprocal agreement.

Old-age settlement: Paid at age 60 (men) or age 55 (women) if the insured does not meet the qualifying conditions for a pension.

Disability pension: Paid if the insured is assessed with at least a 66.7% permanent loss of earning capacity and has at least five years of coverage, including at least six months of contributions in the last 12 months. There is no qualifying period if the disability is the result of a nonoccupational accident.

Constant-attendance supplement: Paid if the insured requires the constant attendance of others to perform daily functions.

Survivor pension: Paid to eligible survivors if the deceased was a pensioner, met the qualifying conditions for an old-age pension or a disability pension, or had at least 180 months of coverage at the time of death.

Survivor settlement: Paid to eligible survivors if the deceased did not meet the qualifying conditions for a pension.

Eligible survivors are a widow aged 50 or older or disabled, a dependent, disabled widower, and children younger than age 14 (age 21 if a student, no limit if disabled).

Old-age pension: The pension is 20% of the insured's average monthly earnings in the last three or five years (whichever is greater) plus 1.33% of average monthly earnings for each 12-month period of coverage exceeding 180 months, up to 80%.

The maximum monthly earnings used to calculate benefits are 70,000 ouguiyas.

The minimum pension is 60% of the highest regional minimum wage.

The highest regional minimum wage is 21,000 ouguiyas.

Benefit adjustment: Benefits are adjusted periodically according to changes in the cost of living, depending on the financial resources of the National Social Security Fund. (The last adjustment was made in January 1998.)

Old-age settlement: A lump sum of one month of wages for each year of coverage is paid.

The maximum monthly earnings used to calculate benefits are 70,000 ouguiyas.

Disability pension: The pension is 20% of the insured's average monthly earnings in the last three or five years (whichever is greater) plus 1.33% of average monthly earnings for each 12-month period of coverage beyond 180 months, up to 80%. For each year that a claim is made before the normal retirement age, the insured is credited with a six-month coverage period.

The maximum monthly earnings used to calculate benefits are 70,000 ouguiyas.

The minimum pension is 60% of the highest regional minimum wage.

The highest regional minimum wage is 21,000 ouguiyas.

Constant-attendance supplement: 50% of the disability pension is paid.

Benefit adjustment: Benefits are adjusted periodically according to changes in the cost of living, depending on the financial resources of the National Social Security Fund. (The last adjustment was made in January 1998.)

Survivor pension: 50% of the deceased's pension is paid to the widow(er).

Orphan's pension: 25% of the deceased's pension is paid to each eligible orphan; 40% to each full orphan.

All survivor benefits combined must not exceed 100% of the deceased's pension.

Survivor settlement: A lump sum of one month of the deceased's pension for each six-month period of coverage is paid.

Benefit adjustment: Benefits are adjusted periodically according to changes in the cost of living, depending on the financial resources of the National Social Security Fund. (The last adjustment was made in January 1998.)

Ministry of Civil Service and State Modernization provides general supervision.

Ministry of Civil Service and State Modernization
MR-Nouakchott,
Mauritania

Tel.: +(222) 4 525 2958

National Social Security Fund, managed by a tripartite board, administers the program.

National Social Security Fund
BP 224,
MR-Nouakchott,
Mauritania

Tel.: +(222) 4 525 7584
Fax: +(222) 4 525 5111