NOUAKCHOTT, Mauritania — Mauritanians went to the polls Saturday to elect their next president, with the incumbent Mohamed Ould Ghazouani widely expected to win after positioning Mauritania as a strategic ally of the West in a region swept by coups and violence.
Ghazouani, who is seeking reelection on the pledge of providing security and economic growth, is a former army chief and the current president of the African Union. He came to power in 2019 following the first democratic transition in the country's history, and Saturday promised to respect the results of the vote.
"The last word belongs to the Mauritanian voters," Ghazouani said after voting in Ksar, the suburb of the capital. "I commit myself to respecting their choice."
Although his opponents accused him of corruption and mismanagement, he remains popular among Mauritanians who see him as a beacon of stability. The vote is taking place in a particularly tense regional climate, with Mauritania's neighboring countries shaken by military coups and jihadi violence.
"We must not let ourselves be fooled by the slogans of the candidates who are not reassuring," said Marieme Brahim, a 38-year-old company executive, who voted for Ghazouani. "Mauritania must vote for continuity and stability and its security in a troubled environment, and it is not these candidates without experience in governance who will give us confidence."
Some 2 million people are eligible to vote in a nation of 5 million. Ghazouani is facing six opponents, including an anti-slavery activist, leaders of several opposition parties, and a neurosurgeon who accused the government of corruption and clientelism.
Mauritania is rich in natural resources such as iron ore, copper, zinc, phosphate, gold, oil and natural gas. It is poised to become a gas producer by the end of the year, with the planned launch of the BP-operated Greater Tortue Ahmeyin offshore gas project at the border with Senegal.
Yet almost 60% of the population live in poverty, according to the United Nations, working as farmers or employed in the informal sector. With few economic opportunities for young people at home, many are attempting to cross the Atlantic to reach Europe, and some are even trying to get to the United States through Mexico.
Mohamed Lemine Ould Moktar, 45, who voted for an opposition candidate, has two young sons who remain unemployed despite having university diplomas.
"I just voted for change, we have had enough of identical regimes which squander the people's assets and maintain corruption," said Ould Moktar. "Just look at more than 40,000 young Mauritanians take the path of immigration to the United States by jumping the border wall between Mexico and the United States. This is why I am voting for change."
Saturday's vote was unfolding peacefully, according to observers, with the polls due to close at 7 p.m. Partial results were expected Sunday.
"We have not noticed any anomalies or problems," declared Taghiyouallah Ould Ledhem, spokesperson for CENI, the independent electoral commission. "People are voting smoothly and easily, we have not received any complaints so far."
