Nouakchott – Mauritanians go to the polls at present, Saturday, to forged their votes in presidential elections that can witness present President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani competing in opposition to six candidates within the West African desert nation that can quickly grow to be a gasoline producer.
Al-Ghazwani (67 years previous) promised to speed up investments to attain a increase in main commodities within the nation with a inhabitants of 5 million folks, lots of whom dwell in poverty regardless of its wealth in fossil fuels and minerals.
Ghazouani is broadly anticipated to win Saturday’s election as a result of dominance of the ruling celebration. He was elected for a primary time period in 2019.
His six rivals embrace anti-slavery activist Biram Dah Abid, who got here in second place in 2019 with greater than 18 p.c of the votes, lawyer Al-Eid Mohamed Embarek, economist Mohamed Al-Amin Al-Murtaji Al-Wafi, and Hamadi Sidi Al-Mukhtar of the Islamist “Tawasul” celebration.
There are about two million registered voters. The primary points for them are combating corruption and offering jobs for younger folks.
If he wins a brand new time period, Al-Ghazouani pledged to ascertain a gas-powered energy station from the massive Tortue Ahmeim pure gasoline challenge, which is scheduled to start manufacturing by the tip of the 12 months. He additionally pledged to spend money on renewable power and increase gold, uranium and iron ore mining.
Mauritania has witnessed relative stability since Ghazouani was elected in 2019, at a time when Mauritania’s neighboring Sahel nations, together with Mali, are fighting rebellions by Islamist teams, which have led to army coups.
Mauritania has not recorded any armed assault on its territory previously few years, and Al-Ghazouani, who at the moment heads the African Union, promised to cope with Islamist threats.
The president faces criticism from outstanding activist Biram Dah Abeid over his human rights document and the marginalization of the black African inhabitants in Mauritania, whereas Hamadi Sidi Al-Mukhtar enjoys a following amongst conservative and spiritual voters.
“Ghazouani is prone to win a second time period, presumably within the first spherical,” stated Karine Jazier, a sub-Saharan Africa specialist on the consultancy Concerto.
If no candidate receives greater than 50 p.c of the votes, a second spherical will likely be held.
An opposition supporter within the capital, Nouakchott, who spoke on situation of anonymity, believes Ghazouani might wrestle to win outright “if the elections are held transparently.”
Within the final elections, some opposition candidates questioned the credibility of the vote, sparking some small-scale protests.
Reuters
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2024-06-29 20:30:21