Mauritania’s Defense Minister runs for presidential elections

It is official now. Mauritania’s Defense Minister Mohamed Ould Ghazouani announced, Friday, that he is running for the upcoming presidential elections. Representing the Union for the Republican party (UPR), the general is following in the footsteps of his «friend» and mentor Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz.

Ould Ghazouani was backed by his party and elected as its new leader at its second regular national conference, reports Asharq Al-Awsat.

«All of you must make the necessary effort to make these elections a complete success to enable me to carry out the ambitious program», said Ould Ghazouani addressing people at UPR’s national conference.

The news in Mauritania, however, might be worrying for Morocco. Sources told Yabiladi, that the general had repeatedly received representatives from the Polisario. These meetings took place in a «tribal setting» as Ould Ghazouani comes from the «Idboussat» tribe.