According to the preliminary results revealed on Sunday, Mauritania’s President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani is on pace to win a second term after establishing his country as a key ally of the West in a region plagued by coups and bloodshed.
Ghazouani, a former army leader and current African Union president who is running for reelection on a promise to provide security and economic prosperity, received 55% of the vote from more than 80% of polling stations, according to the country’s independent electoral body. His primary competitor, anti-slavery campaigner Biram Dah Abeid, who garnered 22.4% of the vote with over 55% turnout, cautioned on Sunday against “an electoral coup d’état for the benefit of Ghazouani, who was defeated by voters.”
Although his opponents accused him of corruption and mismanagement, Ghazouani remains popular among Mauritanians who see him as a beacon of stability. The vote is taking place in a particularly tense regional climate, with Mauritania’s neighbors shaken by military coups and jihadi violence.
Mauritania is rich in natural resources including iron ore, copper, zinc, phosphate, gold, oil and natural gas. It is poised to become a gas producer by the end of the year, with the planned launch of the BP-operated Greater Tortue Ahmeyin offshore gas project at the border with Senegal.
Despite these prospects, almost 60% of the population lives in poverty, according to the United Nations, working as farmers or employed in the informal sector. With few economic opportunities for young people at home, many are attempting to reach Europe, and some are even trying to get to the United States through Mexico.
