MAURITANIA: THE TRANSITIONAL GOVERNMENT OF

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NOUAKCHOTT 000422 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV MR KDEM PINR SUBJECT: MAURITANIA: THE TRANSITIONAL GOVERNMENT OF NATIONAL UNITY IS UP AND RUNNING ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Mauritanians and the international community alike breathed a sigh of relief when President Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi signed in the late hours of June 24 the decree forming a Transitional Government of National Unity, followed by his voluntary resignation. This symbolic gesture eased Mauritania's long-standing political stalemate and opened the way for elections on July 18, in accordance with the June 4 Dakar Accord. Half of the new government -- the first national unity government in the history of Mauritania -- was named by General Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz's camp (better known as "the majority"),including the key position of Prime Minister. The majority reconfirmed all its ministers, including controversial Prime Minister Moulaye Ould Mohamed Laghdaf, a figure deemed too close to the coup by the opposition. The remaining half of the government was divided equally among Ahmed Ould Daddah's Rassemblement des Forces Democratiques (RFD) and the Front National pour la Defense de la Democratie (FNDD). The opposition is in charge of the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Communications, key positions responsibile for election planning and considered crucial to ensure a free and fair election. The Transitional Government of National Unity -- the consensual outcome of weeks of negotiations and high-level diplomatic efforts -- will be in place for only 22 days. Despite its short shelf life and fragility, this government will mark the first time in Mauritania an establishment resulting from a coup d'etat has yielded to calls to restore legality. End summary. -------------- THE NEW GOVERNMENT -------------- ¶2. (U) The new transitional government is composed of 28 ministers. Ministerial posts were divided equally between the FNDD/RFD pole and General Aziz's pole. The Transitional Government of National Unity, the first in the history of Mauritania, is composed of 19 white Moors, three black Moors, seven Afro-Mauritanians (Pulaar and Soninke) and three women. As is the tradition in Mauritania, Moors are the majority (75.9%) but Afro-Mauritanians (24.1%) are well represented compared to previous governments. -------------- GENERAL AZIZ CONTROLS 50% OF THE GOVERNMENT -------------- ¶3. (U) General Aziz's camp holds 14 ministries in addition to the key position of Prime Minister. Other ministries include: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Government Services, Ministry of Rural Development, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, Ministry of the Environment, Ministry of Fisheries and Maritime Economy, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Development, Ministry of National Education, Ministry of Commerce, Handicrafts and Tourism, Ministry of Hydraulics and Sanitation. The majority also scored the positions of Minister Counselor to the President of the Republic and the Secretariat of State charged with the Modernization of the Administration and New Technologies of Communication. ¶4. (U) The ministers already in place remained in their posts. Aziz's decision to reconfirm Moulaye Ould Mohamed Laghdaf as Prime Minister was controversial as the opposition considered Laghdaf too close to the coup. Laghdaf, 51, belongs to the prestigious Tajakant tribe from the southwestern city of Hodh Chargui, an important electoral region. In 2006, he served as Ambassador to Brussels and to the European Union. Laghdaf is an engineer and holds a doctorate degree in mechanics and physics from the University of Brussels. -------------- FNDD AND RFD SHARE THE REMAINING 50% -------------- NOUAKCHOTT 00000422 002 OF 002 ¶5. (U) The FNDD and RFD share the remaining 14 ministries. The FNDD named the Minister of the Interior, a ministry that plays an important role in election organization. Mohamed Ould Rzeizime, the new minister of the interior, is a white Moor of the Ouled Nasser tribe from Aioun. A former wali of Nouakchott and Nouadhibou, Rzeizime was Minister of the Interior under President Abdallahi. Other FNDD-led ministries include: Ministry of Oil, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Housing and Urbanization, Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Ministry of Women, Family and Children, and the Secretariat of State in Charge of the Arab Maghreb. ¶6. (U) The Ministry of Islamic Affairs is headed by the islamist Moctar Ould Mohamed Moussa of Tawassoul. A white Moor from Trarza Idekoub tribe he was a former Ambassador and founding member of the moderate islamic Tawassoul party. His nomination was at the heart of a bitter last minute dispute between Aziz and the opposition as General Aziz refused to accept that an islamist heads this ministry. ¶7. (U) The RFD obtained the important Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Communications. Other ministries include the Ministry of Industry and Mines and the Ministry of Transportation as well as the positions of Minister Secretary General to the Presidency, and Secretary of State Charged of Professional Training. ¶8. (U) The Ministry of Defense is headed by Yadaly Ould Cheikh, a white Moor from the Oulad Biyeri tribe in Boutilimit. A cousin of Ahmed Ould Daddah, he was a former minister of Justice under Ould Haidalla and former Administrative Director of the Mauritanian-Libyan Maritime Economy company. He was in prison under Taya and was a victim of torture. ¶9. (U) The Ministry of Finance falls under Sidi Ould Salem. A Haratine from the North, he was the director of SOCOGIM when the coup happened. ¶10. (U) The Ministry of Communications falls under Ahmed Ould Ahmed Abdou, a staunch Ould Taya detractor. Abdou is reputed for his strong character, which many say will be useful in guaranteeing all candidates equal access to the official press. Note: Aziz named all official press directors. End note. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶11. (SBU) Fragile as it is, the new Transitional Government of National Unity marks a revolutionary moment in Mauritanian politics. It is the first time in the history of this coup-ridden country that a regime has accepted to include the opposition in the government. Nevertheless, post foresees future problems. The Transitional Government of National Unity's success depends on the parties' willingness to work consensually and in good faith towards elections. So far, the road towards consensus has been rocky. Heavy international community involvement and encouragement will be needed to ensure the government advances and to avoid a total blockage of institutions. End comment. HANKINS