Mohamed Ould Ghazouani

Mohamed Ould Ghazouani (2019)

Mohamed Ould Cheikh Mohamed Ahmed Ould Ghazouani ( Arabic محمد ولد الشيخ محمد أحمد ولد الغزواني, DMG Muḥammad walad aš-Šaiḫ Muḥammad Aḥmad walad al-Ġazwānī ; * December 31, 1956 in Boumdeid ) is a Mauritanian general and politician who has been President of Mauritania since taking office on August 1, 2019 . He is a member of the Union pour la République party and is considered a longtime follower of Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz , who was president from 2009 to 2019.

biography

Ghazouani was born on December 31, 1956 in the Assaba region. He grew up in a well-known and influential family of Sufis . His father was a locally important clergyman. He joined the Mauritanian Army in the late 1970s . He continued his officer training in Morocco. He received a master's degree in administration and military science and earned several operational training certificates, and was later promoted to general and director of national security. In the military he was able to gain political influence as an ally of the future President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, and was his partner in the overthrow of President Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh Abdallahi in 2008. He was already a member of the military council of the former President Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya fell in 2005.

From 2008 to 2018 he held the post of Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Mauritania. In October 2018, President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz appointed him Minister of Defense of Mauritania. On March 1, 2019, Ghazouani announced his candidacy for the presidency to replace Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz. On March 15, he resigned as defense minister to participate in the election campaign. In the 2019 presidential election in Mauritania , he finally won with 52% of the vote against five other candidates. The opposition candidates questioned the result. The Constitutional Council confirmed the result on July 1, 2019. He took office in August 2019, the first peaceful change of power in the country since independence from France in 1960.

Human Rights Watch issued an open letter in October 2019 calling on him to improve the human rights situation in his country. Since his election, Ghazouani has met for talks with a number of civil society groups and the opposition. In addition, some Mauritanian artists and important business people such as Mohamed Ould Bouamatou are returning to the country. At the same time, he has distanced himself further and further from his predecessor and former friend Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz , as well as his allies from key positions in the secret services and the military. These developments are interpreted as a silent coup against the former elite of the ruling UPR party, with the aim of improving the country's economic situation.

Personal

Ghazouani's religious upbringing has profoundly influenced his awareness of social justice and the concerns of poorer people. In this regard, he was also influenced by his wife Mariam Mint Mohamed Vadhel Ould Dah, who practices as a doctor. You have five children.

He is considered a hafiz (person who can recite the Koran ).

Web links

Commons : Mohamed Ould Ghazouani - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

↑ ولد الغزواني: للعهد عندي معناه ، وأسعى لتحقيق طموح الشعب. March 1, 2019, accessed November 1, 2019 (Arabic).
↑ Mauritania opposition denounces electoral hold-up the morning call. africanews.com, June 27, 2019, accessed June 27, 2019
^ Deutsche Welle (www.dw.com): Mauritania: Former General Mohamed Ould Ghazouani wins presidential election | DW | June 23, 2019. Retrieved November 1, 2019 (UK English).
↑ ^a ^b Mauritania’s electoral commission confirms Ghazouani win | The Star. Accessed November 1, 2019 .
↑ Human Rights Watch | 350 Fifth Avenue, 34th Floor | New York, NY 10118-3299 USA | t 1.212.290.4700: Letter to President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani. October 15, 2019, accessed November 1, 2019 .
↑ Mauritania did not expect that. May 19, 2020, accessed June 3, 2020 .
↑ Mauritania did not expect that. May 19, 2020, accessed June 3, 2020 .

personal data
SURNAME	Ghazouani, Mohamed Ould
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Ghazouani, Mohamed Ould Cheikh Mohamed Ahmed Ould
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Mauritanian general and politician
DATE OF BIRTH	December 31, 1956
PLACE OF BIRTH	Boumdeid

[1] ولد الغزواني: للعهد عندي معناه ، وأسعى لتحقيق طموح الشعب. March 1, 2019, accessed November 1, 2019 (Arabic).

[2] Mauritania opposition denounces electoral hold-up the morning call. africanews.com, June 27, 2019, accessed June 27, 2019

[3] Deutsche Welle (www.dw.com): Mauritania: Former General Mohamed Ould Ghazouani wins presidential election | DW | June 23, 2019. Retrieved November 1, 2019 (UK English).

[:0-4] Mauritania’s electoral commission confirms Ghazouani win | The Star. Accessed November 1, 2019 .

[5] Human Rights Watch | 350 Fifth Avenue, 34th Floor | New York, NY 10118-3299 USA | t 1.212.290.4700: Letter to President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani. October 15, 2019, accessed November 1, 2019 .

[6] Mauritania did not expect that. May 19, 2020, accessed June 3, 2020 .

[7] Mauritania did not expect that. May 19, 2020, accessed June 3, 2020 .