Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani took the oath of office for a second five-year term on Thursday and pledged to "fight relentlessly against mismanagement and corruption" during a ceremony in Nouakchott attended by several foreign delegations. El Ghazouani stated at the Palais des Maraudeurs on the outskirts of the capital that the battle against corruption "will be our collective responsibility: the administration, the judiciary, civil society, and the press. It is a battle that begins with overcoming resistance to this effort." The president thanked Mauritanians for his reelection. He reiterated his commitment "to do everything possible to rise to their expectations and realize their hopes" in his inauguration speech, which was attended by six African heads of state, with Morocco and Algeria represented by their prime ministers.
Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani won the presidential elections held on June 30 in the first round with 56.12% of the votes, ahead of his historical rival Biram Dah Abeid (22.10%) and the Islamic candidate Hamadi Ould Sidi Mukhtar (12.78%). The 67-year-old, who was elected in the first round in 2019, will lead this vast desert country located between North Africa and the greater African Sahel for a five-year term, serving as a haven of stability in a region troubled by jihadist activities and coups, and a future gas producer.
This country, with a population of 4.9 million, has not witnessed any jihadist attacks on its territory since 2011, while such incidents have intensified in Mali and other locations in the Sahel region. Since gaining independence from France in 1960, Mauritania has experienced a series of coups and authoritarian regimes. The 2019 election marked the first transition between two elected presidents.
