President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani of Mauritania has surged ahead in early results as the country tallies votes from Saturday’s presidential election, according to provisional figures from the electoral commission. Ghazouani currently commands 49% of the vote counted so far, while his closest rival, anti-slavery activist Biram Dah Abeid, trails with 22.68%. This data is based on approximately 6.49% of the total votes counted, sourced from 283 out of 4,503 polling stations as of 0010 GMT.
Ghazouani, aged 67 and a former high-ranking military figure, is widely expected to secure victory. He has campaigned on promises to attract investment aimed at driving economic growth in Mauritania, which has a population of 5 million and is gearing up for natural gas production.
In his remarks after casting his ballot early in the capital city on Saturday, Ghazouani affirmed his respect for the voters’ choice. Elected initially in 2019, he faces competition from six other candidates, including Abeid, who secured over 18% of the vote in the previous election.
The election, which saw participation from approximately 2 million registered voters, centered on issues such as tackling corruption and addressing youth unemployment. Ghazouani has outlined ambitious plans for his potential second term, including the establishment of a natural gas-powered plant as part of the Greater Tortue Ahmeyin offshore gas project, scheduled to begin operations by year-end. Additionally, he aims to expand renewable energy initiatives and develop Mauritania’s mining sectors, encompassing gold, uranium, and iron ore.
