This coming Saturday, a critical presidential election will occur in Mauritania’s vast deserts. The 67-year-old incumbent, a former military commander, is running for reelection against six diverse opponents. The election is significant because Mauritania, which will soon become a gas producing nation, wants to use its abundant mineral and fossil fuel resources to fight poverty among its 5 million citizens.
Ghazouani intends to use these natural resources to ignite a commodities boom in Mauritania. He initially came to power in 2019. Promises of faster investment and economic growth, together with measures to strengthen the nation’s mining and energy sectors, have characterized his government. Because of the ruling party’s stronghold on the political scene, the incumbent is the clear favorite to win.
Six opponents stand in Ghazouani’s way, each providing their own perspectives and criticisms of the administration in place. Among them is the well-known anti-slavery activist Biram Dah Abeid, who finished second in the 2019 elections with nearly 18% of the vote. Abeid has been an outspoken opponent of Ghazouani’s policies, especially with regard to the marginalization of Mauritania’s Black African population. Also in the fray are lawyer Id Mohameden M’Bareck, economist Mohamed Lemine El Mourtaji El Wafi, and Hamadi Sidi El Mokhtar of the Islamist Tewassoul party, who appeals to the nation’s conservative and religious electorate.
As the country nears election day, approximately 2 million people are registered to vote, with key issues such as corruption and youth unemployment driving the public discourse. Ghazouani’s reelection bid is underpinned by substantial promises, including the construction of a gas-fired power plant as part of the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) offshore gas project, set to begin production by year’s end. He also pledges further investments in renewable energy and the expansion of gold, uranium, and iron ore mining operations.
Since taking office, Ghazouani has presided over a period of relative stability in Mauritania, a stark contrast to the turmoil experienced by neighboring Sahel countries like Mali, which have been plagued by Islamist insurgencies leading to military coups. Mauritania itself has been free from militant attacks on its soil in recent years, a testament to Ghazouani’s security policies, even as he currently chairs the African Union and commits to managing regional Islamist threats.
But there are some delicate details to Mauritania’s electoral system. A few citizens of Nouakchott, the capital, voice doubts regarding the next vote’s openness. Allegations of irregularities in the voting process have led to protests in previous elections, albeit on a smaller scale. There is still disagreement over the electoral process’s legitimacy, with some opponents raising doubts about Ghazouani’s clear victory even in the case of a transparent election.
The polling places are scheduled to close at 7:00 pm GMT and open at 7:00 am GMT. A second round of voting will be held to further assess this West African nation’s democratic resilience if no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote.
