Highlights
– Mauritania names new prime minister after former PM resigned
– Islamist opposition leaders appointed to top posts in new cabinet
– New Islamist-friendly cabinet draws fears of relaxing anti-terrorism security protocols in the near to mid-term
On May 6, 2008, President Sidi Ould Chiekh Abdallahi named 50-year-old economist Yahya Ould Ahmed Waqef new prime minister of Mauritania. Former Prime Minister Zeine Ould Zeidane resigned without providing an explanation after serving a little over one year of his premiership, which started in March 2007. Newly appointed Waqef, however, did not waste any time in his new position of power. Shortly following his new appointment, Waqef named five opposition leaders from Mauritania’s moderate Islamist National Rally for Reform and Development (RNRD) and Union for Forces and Progress (UFP) parties among 30 ministers making up his new government.
According to local media reports, this is the first time opposition members have been appointed as ministers in Mauritania. On the one hand, introducing opposition members into the current government may help boost prospects for democracy in Mauritania. On the other hand, an Islamist-friendly government may result in altering security protocols instilled to curb prospects of terrorist attacks within Mauritania. As the new prime minister, Waqef will need to demonstrate that a mixed cabinet will be effective in performing under Mauritania’s current suffering conditions of food crisis and terrorist attacks.
First-Time Minister Appointments
Although PM Waqef is president of the ruling party, National Pact for Development and Democracy (PNDD), the former university economics teacher made history last week when he appointed five opposition members to his new cabinet. The opposition figures’ posts include the health, employment, fishing and higher education ministries. Although no opposition members currently hold security ministry positions, members of the ruling party are apprehensive of the possible implications of these appointments, such as a reduced will to fight terrorism, or just how far the new Prime Minister will go to gain vast support.
Waqef has said that implementing President Abdallahi’s political program will be his government’s priority and has pledged to make agriculture a top priority and security a “key issue.” In recent past, Mauritania has discussed passing laws similar to those in Tunisia, curbing and censoring the language in schools and mosques that may be pro-jihad. With the new moderate Islamists leaders heading ministries like higher education and employment, some fear that previous security protocol discussions may be dismissed.
Food and Terror Crisis Continues
As the new government operates under tense conditions of rising food prices and increased terror attacks, PM Waqef will be under much pressure to alleviate some of these issues in the near to mid-term. To this end, introducing a historically new team of cabinet members seems like a risk Waqef is willing to take in order to demonstrate his seriousness in combating the issues currently troubling Mauritanian citizens.
With the new appointments to the Ministry of Agriculture and Employment, Waqef hopes to appease the current food crisis, most likely more than combating terrorism in the near to mid-term.
