b'center will enable the Mauritanian Ministry of Petroleum, Energy and Mines to use the latest technology to host courses taught by experts from around the world. This will provide Mauritanians with the opportunity to develop specialized skills without having to either travel abroad or bring specialized instructors to Mauritania. The Center will ultimately be turned over to the Ministry of Petroleum, Energy and Mines who will assume responsibility for its sustainability.Kosmos Innovation Center Expands into MauritaniaIn 2018, we expanded the activities of the Kosmos Innovation Center (KIC) into Mauritania with the first annual Mauritania Innovation Challenge, an initiative modeled on a successful program implemented by the KIC in Ghana. Like Ghana, Mauritania faces high youth unemployment but has many talented entrepreneurs and provides significant opportunities for motivated business leaders with the POSITIVE IMPACTS In 2017, these projects wereskills to start their own companies. Since entering Mauritania in 2012,transitioned to BP as they assumedThe Mauritania Innovation Kosmos has supported a rangeoperatorship of the explorationChallenge is a competition in which of social investment projectsblocks and GTA project. young entrepreneurs pitch their designed to: In 2018, Kosmos and BP signed abusiness ideas to a panel of expert Memorandum of Understandingjudges who then invite a sub-set ofBring electricity to communitiesthe participants to enroll in a KIC near Ndiago through thefor the construction and initial operation of a Distance Learningprogram offering business skills installation of solar energyand leadership training, including infrastructure Center to improve learning capabilities in Mauritanias oil andcoaching and mentoring, as well asmprove the livelihoods of small- gas industry. Once complete, thesupport to develop prototypes of Iscale fish processing businessestheir products. in NdiagoProtect the environment inDiawling National Park Support research and increaseknowledge of marine biodiversity offshore Mauritania Support a graduate degree program in Mauritania on managing the impact of the extractives sector Teach English to vocationalschool students to improve their employability, andProvide meals to needy families during Ramadan.In the Mauritania Innovation Challenge, participants pitch their business ideas to a panel of judges and stakeholders in Nouakchott. The most promising ideas receive further technical assistance and potential seed funding to continue their growth journey.44'