Founded in 1975 under the name Agence Mauritanienne de Presse (AMP), the Mauritanian News Agency—known today as AMI—serves as the official state-run news wire. Based in Nouakchott, it distributes content in Arabic, French, and increasingly English. It also publishes two daily newspapers: Al‑Shaab (Arabic) and Horizons (French).
Media assets
News agency: AMI
Publishing: Al-Shaab, Horizons
State Media Matrix Typology
Ownership and governance
AMI is a public institution with public capital, operating under the supervision of the Ministry of Finance and Economy . Its governance structure comprises an 11-member Board of Directors, largely appointed by the state—including representatives from seven ministries, the heads of TVM and Radio Mauritanie, a Central Bank delegate, and one staff-appointed member.
Source of funding and budget
AMI is predominantly state-funded. In 2020, the agency received a budgetary subsidy of MRU 72.7 million(approximately US $2 million). No later official budget figures have been publicly disclosed, but no shift in funding sources has been noted as of mid‑2025.
Editorial independence
Though AMI is not legally bound to toe the official line, its output to a large degree echoes government narratives. Observers—local journalists and independent analysts—noted in interviews for this report in March 2025 the consistent emphasis on official events and state actors, with limited pluralism in political coverage.
There is currently no independent oversight, complaints mechanism, or publicly available editorial charter to ensure autonomy.
June 2025