Mohamed Ould Ghazouani
Mohamed Ould Ghazouani | |
|---|---|
محمد ولد الغزواني | |
Ghazouani in 2022 | |
| 9th President of Mauritania | |
| Assumed office 1 August 2019 | |
| Prime Minister | Mohamed Salem Ould Béchir Ismail Ould Bedde Ould Cheikh Sidiya Mohamed Ould Bilal Mokhtar Ould Djay |
| Preceded by | Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz |
| 22nd Chairperson of the African Union | |
| In office 17 February 2024 – 15 February 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Azali Assoumani |
| Succeeded by | João Lourenço |
| Minister of Defense | |
| In office October 2018 – 15 March 2019 | |
| President | Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz |
| Prime Minister | Mohamed Salem Ould Béchir |
| Preceded by | Jallow Mamadou Bhatia |
| Succeeded by | Yahya Ould Hademine |
| Chief of Army Staff | |
| In office 13 May 2008 – 6 November 2018 | |
| President | Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz |
| Preceded by | Felix Negri |
| Succeeded by | Mohamed Cheikh Ould Mohamed Lemine |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 4 December 1956 Boumdeid, Assaba Region, Colonial Mauritania |
| Political party | Equity Party (since 2022) |
| Other political affiliations | Union for the Republic (until 2022) |
| Spouse | Mariem Mint Dah |
| Children | 6 |
| Residence | Presidential Palace, Nouakchott |
| Education | Meknes Royal Military Academy |
| Occupation |
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| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Mauritania |
| Branch/service | Mauritanian Army |
| Years of service | 1970s–2018 |
| Rank | General |
| Commands | General Director of National Security Chief of National Army Staff |
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Military career
Political career
9th President of Mauritania
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Mohamed Ould Cheikh Mohamed Ahmed Ould Ghazouani (Arabic: محمد ولد الشيخ محمد أحمد ولد الغزواني; born 4 December 1956), also known as Ghazouani and Ould Ghazouani, is a Mauritanian politician and retired army general who has been the 9th President of Mauritania since 2019, and the 22nd chairperson of the African Union from February 2024 until February 2025.
Ghazouani is a former general-director of National Security and former chief of staff of the Armed Forces of Mauritania (2008–2018). He was defense minister of Mauritania from October 2018 to March 2019. At that time a close ally of his predecessor Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, he was elected president of Mauritania on 22 June 2019 following the 2019 presidential election. His victory in the 2019 presidential election was presented as having been the country's first peaceful transition of power since independence.
Ghazouani has overseen a period of relative stability in Mauritania. He has worked to improve social security and combat corruption, including the arrest of his predecessor. Ghazouani also played a crucial role in eliminating jihadist violence, modernizing the military, and engaging with communities and Islamist groups.