Commercial and internet fraud is prevalent and often originates in West African countries. Victims h

It contains sixt car rental germany new information in the Summary and under Safety and security: Civil unrest/political tension (elections were held in December). We continue sixt car rental germany to advise Australians to reconsider their need to travel to Mauritania at this time due to the high threat of terrorist attack including kidnapping and the unpredictable security situation.
You should maintain sixt car rental germany a high level of vigilance at all times when travelling in Mauritania and avoid unnecessary travel in remote areas. Travel beyond Nouakchott should be registered with the local police.
There is a high threat of terrorist attack in Mauritania. We continue to receive reports that terrorists are planning attacks against a range of targets, including places frequented sixt car rental germany by foreigners (see Terrorism section below).
There is an ongoing high threat of kidnapping against Westerners in the north and west regions of Africa, sixt car rental germany including places frequented by foreigners in Nouakchott sixt car rental germany and Atar. Westerners have previously been kidnapped in remote and desert areas of Mauritania.
There is a risk of retaliatory attacks against Western targets by terrorists in Mauritania following the French intervention in the conflict in Mali in January 2013. Terrorist groups in the region declared their intention to increase attacks and kidnappings targeting Westerners.
Visa and other entry and exit conditions (such as currency, customs and quarantine regulations) change regularly. Contact the nearest Embassy or Consulate of Mauritania for the most up to date information.
Mauritania is listed by the World Health Organization (WHO) as endemic for yellow fever. Yellow fever is a serious and potentially fatal disease preventable by vaccination. We strongly recommend that all travellers be vaccinated for yellow fever before travelling to Mauritania (see Health section).
As the quarantine requirements for yellow fever vaccination differ between countries, we recommend that you check the yellow fever entry requirements for Mauritania and all countries you intend to enter or transit by contacting their foreign mission accredited to Australia . Some airlines may require passengers to present a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate before being allowed to board flights out of the country. For more information about yellow fever, including Australian re-entry requirements, see the Department of Health website .
Make sure your passport has at least six months' validity from your planned date of return to Australia. sixt car rental germany You should carry copies of a recent passport photo with you in case you need a replacement passport while overseas.
There is a risk of retaliatory attacks against Western targets sixt car rental germany by terrorists in Mauritania following the French intervention in the conflict in Mali in January 2013. Terrorist groups in the region have declared their intention to increase attacks and kidnappings targeting Westerners. These attacks could occur at anytime, anywhere in Mauritania.
There is an ongoing high threat of kidnapping against Westerners in the north and west regions of Africa, sixt car rental germany including Nouakchott and Atar in Mauritania. A number sixt car rental germany of Westerners have been kidnapped in Mauritania sixt car rental germany in recent years, predominantly from remote and desert areas, sixt car rental germany and some kidnap victims have been killed. Past reports indicate that terrorists have planned to kidnap foreigners, including Australians, travelling between Mauritania and Morocco or who may be close to the Mauritania/Mali border. There have also been reports of plans to attack oil facilities in Mauritania.
The Australian Government's longstanding policy sixt car rental germany is that it does not make payments or concessions to kidnappers. The Australian Government considers that paying a ransom increases the risk of further kidnappings, including of other Australians. If you do decide to travel to an area where there is a particular threat of kidnapping, sixt car rental germany you should ensure you have personal security measures in place, sixt car rental germany seek professional security advice sixt car rental germany and take out kidnapping insurance.
On 23 August 2010, two of three Spanish nationals kidnapped on 29 November 2009 while travelling from Nouakchott to the port of Nouadhibou were released in Mali. The third hostage was released in March 2010.
Terrorist attacks could be directed against any locations known to be frequented by foreigners, as well as premises and symbols associated with the Government of Mauritania. In planning your activities, consider the kinds of places known to be terrorist targets and the level of security sixt car rental germany provided. Possible targets include clubs, restaurants, embassies and high commissions, international schools, international hotels, expatriate housing compounds, churches and other places of worship, shopping centres, outdoor recreation events, tourist sixt car rental germany areas and transport hubs or identifiably Western interests, including businesses.
Australians should takesecurity precautions in homes and vehicles and watch for any suspicious or unusual activity. In Nouakchott, Australians are advised to avoid sitting in the open terraces of cafes and to regularly change daily routines to avoid predictable behaviour.
We strongly advise you not to travel to the border areas with Mali, Algeria and Western sixt car rental germany Sahara because of the risk of terrorist attack, banditry sixt car rental germany and the activities of armed smugglers. There are continuing reports that AQIM, the terrorist group responsible sixt car rental germany for the kidnapping of foreigners in North Africa, is active throughout this region and poses a significant security threat.
We advise you to reconsider your need to travel to Mauritania at this time due to the unpredictable security situation. If you do decide sixt car rental germany to travel to Mauritania, you should exercise extreme caution. If you are in Mauritania, avoid unnecessary local travel and monitor the media and other local information sources sixt car rental germany for information about possible new safety or security risks.
You should avoid protests and demonstrations as they may turn violent. Protests and demonstrations have turned violent in Mauritania in the past. There were demonstrations in a number of locations across Mauritania in 2012, including in Nouakchott and there is a possibility of further demonstrations.
Demonstrations occurred outside embassies in Nouakchott in September 2012 to protest against the making of an Islamic video in the US and the publication of anti-Islamic cartoons by a French magazine.
Bandits are active across Mauritania. Bandit attacks have occurred at night in beach areas of Nouakchott (including the district of Le Cinquieme), and at deserted beach areas during daylight hours. Bandits have attacked vehicles sixt car rental germany travelling by road between Mali and Mauritania and in the north of Mauritania. Pickpocketing and other theft also occur. There are increasing reports of carjackings and theft associated with organised people smugglers who are using Mauritania as a transit point for illegal travel by sea to the Canary Islands. When travelling by car, you should keep the doors locked, the windows up and keep valuables out of sight.
Commercial and internet fraud is prevalent sixt car rental germany and often originates in West African countries. Victims have been defrauded sixt car rental germany and those who travel sixt car rental germany to the originating country have had their lives endangered. Some victims sixt car rental germany have been killed. Criminals have been known to seek details of 'safe' bank accounts overseas in which to transfer large sums of money (as a donation or for a percentage of the amount involved). They may also provide fake cashier cheques for 'urgent' shipments of large quantities of goods, request sizeable fees for a fake government contract and extort money from individuals they have convinced to travel to Africa for a business opportunity. If you are a victim of a financial scam, we advise you to obtain legal advice and not to travel to Africa to seek restitution as there is a risk of physical assault from the perpetrators. Our information on International Financial Scams provides more detail on these types of scams.
Some Australian citizens have also been defrauded or had their lives endangered by bogus internet friendship, dating and marriage schemes operating sixt car rental germany from West African countries. These scams typically result from connections made through internet dating schemes or chat rooms. Once a virtual relationship develops, the Australian citizen sixt car rental germany can be asked by their friend or prospective marriage partner to send money to enable travel to Australia. In some cases the relationship is terminated and any chance of recovering the funds is highly unlikely. In other cases, foreigners may be lured to Africa to meet their friend or prospective marriage partner and can become a kidnapping victim.
Before you go, organise a variety of ways of accessing your money overseas, such as credit cards, and Euros or US dollars cash. Australian currency and travellers' cheques are not accepted sixt car rental germany in Mauritania. Consult with your bank to find out the most appropriate currency to carry and whether your ATM card will work overseas. There are ATMs available in several banks in Nouakchott and some of these may accept foreign credit cards.
Your passport is a valuable document that is attractive to criminals who may try to use your identity to commit crimes. It should always be kept in a safe, dry place. You are required by Australian law to report a lost or stolen passport. If your passport is lost or stolen overseas, report it online or contact the nearest Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate as soon as possible.
Travel within Mauritania should be carefully prepared and organised with a competent sixt car rental germany local company. Any travel beyond Nouakchott should be registered in advance with the local police/gendarmes. Tourist facilities are non-existent outside of Nouakchott. sixt car rental germany All travel outside of Nouakchott sixt car rental germany should be in a convoy sixt car rental germany with adequate security.
It is advisable to be met on arrival at the airport in Mauritania and to have confirmed, prearranged transport waiting for you. Some respected local transport sixt car rental germany companies can assist with airport formalities.
Driving can be dangerous.