Mauritania’s incumbent President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani has secured victory in the country’s presidential election, winning over 56% of the vote.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) announced the results, granting Ghazouani a second term as head of the vast desert nation.
His victory reinforces Mauritania’s reputation as a stable outlier in Africa’s volatile Sahel region and positions it to become a gas producer.
Ghazouani avoided a second round by surpassing the 50% threshold in the first round , with his main rival, anti-slavery activist Biram Dah Abeid, receiving 22.10% of the vote.
Hamadi Ould Sid’ El Moctar, leader of the Islamist Tewassoul party, came third with 12.78%.
Mauritania has not experienced an attack since 2011, despite regional instability.
The overall voter turnout was 55.39%, slightly lower than in 2019.
Ghazouani, widely credited with maintaining stability, has prioritized youth empowerment in a country where nearly three-quarters of the population is under 35.
