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RR RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHMOS RUEHPA
DE RUEHNK #0457/01 1091649
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 191649Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5383
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 0179

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NOUAKCHOTT 000457 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/18/2016 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM PINR EAID KPAO MR
SUBJECT: MILITARY COUNCIL RESHUFFLES DIPLOMATIC CORPS 
 
Classified By: Amb. Joseph LeBaron, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d) 
 
-------------- 
(U) Key Points 
-------------- 
 
-- In late March the Military Council for Justice and 
Democracy replaced several of Mauritania's Ambassadors and 
Consuls to key African and Middle East countries. 
 
-- The military council largely chose diplomats that had held 
positions of influence in the previous government and ruling 
party. 
 
------------ 
(C) Comments 
------------ 
 
-- To some observers, these choices were a deliberate move by 
the council to appease this former powerbase, while others 
believed the council was merely playing it safe by selecting 
well-known, experienced diplomats. 
 
-- It is also possible that like the former Taya government, 
the Fal government is using diplomatic appointments to remove 
potential political opponents from Mauritania, and from its 
day-to-day operations. 
 
End Key Points and Comments. 
 
¶1. (U) In late March the Military Council for Justice and 
Democracy replaced several of Mauritania's Ambassadors and 
Consuls to key African and Middle East countries.  The 
shuffle, which had been expected since the August 3 coup 
d'etat, surprised many observers in that it drew largely from 
the former powerbase.  Nearly all of the new diplomats are 
well-known local players who held positions of influence in 
the previous government and ruling party.  While several 
long-sitting diplomats were removed and given positions in 
the new government, the new appointments are dominated by 
former party leaders and government ministers. 
 
¶2. (C) The Ambassadorial changes in alphabetical order of 
country were as follows: 
 
-- Mohamed Lemine Ould Yahaya, Ambassador to the Arab League 
 
Yahaya, a career diplomat who served as Ambassador to Tunisia 
and Morocco and was the former Secretary General of the 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs under Taya, replaced Sid Mohamed 
Ould Mohamed Fall, nicknamed "Agurine", the current Secretary 
General of the former ruling party (now called the Republican 
Party for Democracy and Revival - PRDR). 
 
 
-- Mohamed Mahmoud Ould Brahim Khlil, Ambassador to Jordan 
 
Khlil, the former Ambassador to UNESCO who is a member of the 
same Smacid tribe as former President Taya, replaced Ahmed 
Jidou Ould Khlifa the former Minister of Education and the 
Fight Against Illiteracy. 
 
 
-- Dr Haibetna Ould Sid Haiba, Ambassador to Kuwait 
 
Haiba, the former Minister of Communication and former 
President of the Nouakchott University replaced Ambassador 
Othman Ould Cheikh Ahmed Abou El Maali, who became the 
chairman of PRDR's (the former ruling party) national council. 
 
 
-- Dr Abdallah Ould Benhmeida, Ambassador to Libya 
 
Benhmeida, a career diplomat and the former Secretary General 
in the Ministries of Culture and Education replaced Mahjoub 
Ould Bouya who was appointed to UNESCO in Paris. 
 
 
-- Sidamine Ould Ahmed Challa, Ambassador to Mali 
 
Challa, the former Secretary General in the Ministry of 
Energy replaced Col Mohamed Ould Lekhal who had served under 
Taya as the Minister of Rural Development.  Challa is rumored 
to be a close friend of Malian President Amadou Toumani Toure. 
 
 
 
NOUAKCHOTT 00000457  002 OF 002 
 
 
-- Mohamed Mahmoud Ould Bouya, Ambassador to Saudi Arabia 
 
Bouya, the former Minister of Religious Affairs replaced 
former Ambassador and Minister Cheikh Ahmed Ould Zehaf, whom 
the Saudi authorities refused to recognize (reportedly 
because Zehaf was a Black Moor). 
 
 
-- Ahmedou Ould Chekh Al Hadrami, Ambassador to Senegal 
 
Hadrami, the former Governor of the Trarza (a Southern region 
bordering Senegal) replaced Cheikh Saad Bouh Kamara. 
Hadrami's long tour in the Trarza acquainted him with the 
various border issues between the two nations, including 
refugees, migration, and cohabitation between Afro 
Mauritanians and Moors.  While knowledgeable on these issues, 
Hadrami speaks only limited French, noteworthy given that he 
will be Ambassador to a Francophone country. 
 
 
-- Mohamed Moctar Ould Nahah, Ambassador to Syria 
 
Nahah, a previous officer in the National Office of Tourism 
replaced Ahmed Ould Sid Ahmed, who is the current Minister of 
Foreign Affairs. 
 
 
-- Al Khadir Ould Ahmed Moloud, Ambassador to Yemen 
 
Moloud, a former Inspector in the Ministry of Education 
replaced Al Hassen Ould Mohamed Ould Awan the former Minister 
of Education.  Moloud is largely unknown in the diplomatic 
arena. 
 
¶3. (C) The consular changes in alphabetical order of country 
were as follows: 
 
-- Seyedna Ali Ould Jeilany, Consul to Morocco 
 
 
-- Sid Mohamed Ould Hanena, Consul to Niger 
Hanena is the brother of Maj Saleh Ould Hanena, the former 
leader of the opposition group, Knights of Change. 
 
 
-- Mohamed Ali Ould Dah, Consul to Senegal 
Dah is a former police officer. 
LeBaron