On Saturday, Mauritanians participated in a pivotal presidential election where the incumbent, Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, is widely anticipated to secure another term.
Ghazouani, 67, has pledged to bolster investment in the West African nation, focusing on its imminent natural gas production.
A former high-ranking military official, Ghazouani has advocated for investor-friendly policies aimed at igniting a commodities boom in Mauritania, a country of 5 million people, many of whom live in poverty despite its abundant fossil fuel and mineral resources.
“The final decision rests with the Mauritanian voters. I commit to respecting their choice,” Ghazouani declared after casting his vote in the capital city, Nouakchott.
Voting commenced at 0700 GMT and is expected to conclude at 1900 GMT, with provisional results anticipated on Sunday. Ghazouani, who first took office in 2019, faces six challengers, including anti-slavery activist Biram Dah Abeid, who secured over 18% of the vote in the previous election.
Other contenders include lawyer Id Mohameden M’Bareck, economist Mohamed Lemine El Mourtaji El Wafi, and Hamadi Sidi El Mokhtar from the Islamist Tewassoul party.
One voter, 39-year-old geographer Mohamed Cheikh Hadrami, expressed hope for a candidate who could “reconcile Mauritanians” but did not disclose his choice.
Approximately 2 million citizens are registered to vote, with key issues being corruption and youth unemployment. Ghazouani has promised to build a natural gas-fired power plant and invest in renewable energy while expanding the mining of gold, uranium, and iron ore if re-elected.
Since his tenure began in 2019, Mauritania has enjoyed relative stability, contrasting with the turmoil in neighbouring Sahel countries like Mali, which have faced Islamist insurgencies and military coups. Mauritania has not experienced any militant attacks recently, and Ghazouani, currently the African Union chair, has vowed to address Islamist threats.
Opposition leader Abeid challenges Ghazouani on human rights and the marginalization of Mauritania’s Black African population, while El Mokhtar appeals to conservative and religious voters.
According to Mucahid Durmaz, a senior analyst at Verisk Maplecroft, Ghazouani is likely to win in the first round, supported by the ruling party’s recent legislative election victory. However, if no candidate surpasses 50% of the vote, a second round will be necessary.
An opposition supporter in Nouakchott, preferring anonymity, suggested Ghazouani might face challenges if the voting process is transparent. Previous elections saw opposition candidates question the vote’s credibility, leading to minor protests.
“People desire change. I will accept the results of a transparent election but will call out any fraud,” El Mokhtar stated post-voting.
