VZCZCXRO1417
PP RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMA RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHTRO
DE RUEHNK #0422/01 1801327
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 291327Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8570
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
RUCNMGH/MAGHREB COLLECTIVE
RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1104
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0753
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0743
RUEHDO/AMEMBASSY DOHA 0678
RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID 2283
RUEHSM/AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM 0130
RUEHPG/AMEMBASSY PRAGUE 0298
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RHMFISS/COMSOCEUR VAIHINGEN GE
RUEHDS/USMISSION USAU ADDIS ABABA
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1200

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