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INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUCNMGH/MAGHREB COLLECTIVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 NOUAKCHOTT 000012 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/05/2015 
TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV KDEM PTER MR
SUBJECT: MAURITANIA: MONTHLY POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC ROUNDUP 
FOR DECEMBER 
 
REF: A. NOUAKCHOTT 549 
     ¶B. NOUAKCHOTT 824 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Mark Boulware for reasons 1.4 (b and d) 
 
¶1.  (U)  Summary:  The month of December witnessed the second 
kidnapping of Westerners in Mauritania by Al Qaeda in the 
Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) since the late November abduction of 
three Spanish NGO workers.  The arrest of three Smasside 
businessmen accused of involvement in the Mauritanian Central 
Bank fraud scandal galvanized public opinion.  The 
Mauritanian opposition believes these men are being targeted 
for their tribal and political affiliation while the 
government states it is leading a campaign against 
corruption.  Eight opposition parties joined forces in a new 
Coordination of Opposition Forces aimed at strengthening 
democracy and denouncing the government's "totalitarian 
tendencies."  Taqadoumy journalist Hanevy Ould Deha remains 
in prison after serving a six month sentence and has started 
a hunger strike to protest against his arbitrary detention. 
On the economic front, Mauritania signed agreements with the 
IMF and Sudan, and secured a loan from the Arab Development 
Fund.  End summary. 
 
¶2.  (C)  Update on Spanish kidnapping:  On December 2, 
following the November 29 AQIM kidnapping of three Spanish 
NGO workers traveling south on Nouadhibou road, Chief of 
Staff of the National Gendarmerie General Ahmed Ould Bekrine 
was dismissed and replaced by Secretary General to the 
Ministry of Defense Colonel NDiaga Dieng, an 
Afro-Mauritanian. On December 9, President Aziz blamed the 
kidnappings on "a combination of security failures inherited 
from past administrations."  Aziz said that Mauritanian 
security forces suffered from decades of mismanagement, and 
lack of resources and motivation.  According to an article 
published in Spanish newspaper El Mundo on December 31, AQIM 
is requesting payment of a USD 7 million ransom and the 
release of salafists held in Mauritanian prison as conditions 
to liberate the Spanish hostages.  Comment: Aziz has had 
relatively unfettered control of both the military and 
security services since 2007 so his criticism of "past 
administrations" rings somewhat shallow.  Mauritania has 
increased its emphasis on a counterterrorism mission in the 
past several years but given the size of its territory, the 
basic education of its troops, and economic realities is 
doubtful to ever field a fully effective deterrent  End 
Comment. 
 
¶3.  (U)  Italians kidnapped:  Two Italian citizens and their 
Burkinabe driver were abducted near the Mauritanian town of 
Kobenni in south-eastern Mauritania, close to the Malian 
border.  AQIM claimed responsibility for the kidnapping, 
which they claimed was conducted "in retaliation for crimes 
of the Italian Government in Iraq and Afghanistan."  This is 
the second abduction of Westerners in Mauritania since 
November 29. 
 
¶4.  (U)  Corruption scandal at the Central Bank:  The 
Nouakchott public prosecutor delivered charges of treason, 
forgery and diversion and waste of public funds against the 
former governor of the Central Bank of Mauritania, Mr. Sidel 
Mokhtar Ould Nagi, as well as his deputy, Mr. Mahomed Ould 
Oumarou.  They are accused of mismanaging and diverting over 
USD 93 million between 2000-2001, an amount which is equal to 
approximately 10% of the 2010 budget for Mauritania.  The 
public prosecutor in Nouakchott also levied charges against 
three of the most prominent Mauritanian businessmen who have 
since been taken into police custody by the Commissariat of 
Economic Crimes.  The businessmen are Mohamed Ould 
Noueiguedh, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the 
National Bank of Mauritania (BNM), Cherif Ould Abdellahi, 
Chairman of the board of the Islamic Bank of Mauritania 
(BAMIS), and Abdou Maham, a prominent businessman.  The three 
men belong to former President Ould Taya's Smasside tribe and 
supported opposition parties during the campaign leading to 
the July 18 election.  The three businessmen are accused of 
diverting public funds and trading in forged currencies as 
well as collaborating with the former governor of the Central 
Bank to allow the embezzlement of funds through their 
accounts and companies.  The government claims the charges 
are strictly part of an anti-corruption drive.  Comment: The 
businessmen were released January 4 following interventions 
by Islamic leaders and, reportedly, their agreement to repay 
all illicit transfers.  End Comment 
 
¶5.  (U)  Mauritanian opposition mobilizes against arrests: 
Mauritanian opposition leaders held a press conference on 
December 7 to criticize the arrest of the three businessmen 
placed in custody for allegedly receiving illicit transfers 
from the Central Bank.  The opposition described these 
arrests as "payback" for these men's support to the 
 
NOUAKCHOTT 00000012  002 OF 003 
 
 
opposition and for their affiliation to former President 
Taya's Smasside tribe.  On December 15, police used tear gas 
and batons to break up a protest in support of the 
businessmen.  The Coordination of Opposition Forces organized 
a demonstration on December 23 that gathered thousands of 
supporters. 
 
¶6.  (U)  New Coordination of Opposition Forces:  On December 
10, eight Mauritanian opposition parties signed a Charter to 
join forces to consolidate democracy in the country.  The 
parties involved are Ahmed Ould Daddah's Rassemblement des 
Forces Democratiques (RFD), Messaoud Ould Boulkheir's 
Alliance Populaire Progressiste (APP), Mohamed Ould 
Maouloud's Union des Forces du Progres (UFP), former 
President Abdallahi's party the PNDD-ADIL as well as Louleid 
Ould Weddad's Rassemblement du Peuple Mauritanien (RPM).  The 
Parti pour la Liberte, l'Equite et la Justice (PLEJ) and 
Abdel Koudouss Abeidna's Union National pour l'Alternance 
Democratique (UNAD) are also part of the coalition.  Islamist 
party Tawassoul, which was an active member of the FNDD, did 
not join the coordination. 
 
¶7.  (U)  Iranian Ambassador visit:  According to Arabic press 
sources, Iranian Ambassador Tagahiyou Mouaid met with 
President Aziz on December 14 and gave him a letter of 
invitation to Iran.  The Iranian Ambassador's visit was 
barely covered by the French-speaking and official media. 
 
 
¶8.  (C)  Hanevy still imprisoned:  Taqadoumy Director Hanevy 
Ould Deha, sentenced to six months in prison in August 19 for 
acts contrary to Islam (Ref A), was scheduled to be released 
on December 24 but has been held in prison without 
explanation.  Hanevy started a hunger strike on December 28. 
Reporters Without Borders called for his release on December 
29 stating that keeping him "in jail after having served a 
completely disproportionate prison sentence constitutes a 
serious violation of existing laws." On December 30, 
Ambassador met with Taqadoumy journalists Djibril Diallo and 
Abbas Ould Braham who were concerned about Hanevy's health 
given that he has a pre-existing medical condition that could 
be aggravated by the hunger strike.  Hanevy's family had 
requested that a doctor of their choice would be allowed to 
see him as they do not trust doctors chosen by the 
authorities.  Their request was not granted.  Note:  Diallo 
told PolOff in confidence that Hanevy fears for his life 
while in prison.  End note.  In a meeting with Ambassador 
Boulware on January 3, President of the Mauritanian Bar 
Association Ahmed Salem Ould Bouhoubeiny stated he had seen 
Hanevy that day.  Hanevy was increasingly weak from the 
hunger strike but had been examined by a doctor.  For 
Bouhoubeiny, "there is nothing in Mauritanian law that 
justifies Hanevy's continued imprisonment."  Bouhoubeiny 
explained that if the authorities intend to raise further 
charges against Hanevy, they need to release him, issue a 
proper arrest warrant and re-arrest him.  Hanevy's case is 
one of many cases of arbitrary detention, explained the 
lawyer.  Comment: Ambassador has raised USG concerns about 
the Hanevy case with the Mauritanian government cautioning 
that they are risking their international human rights 
reputation.  The Mission continues to raise the case with 
senior Mauritanian officials (Ref B).  End Comment. 
 
¶9.  (C)  Initiative to open media to the opposition proves 
difficult:  On December 10, the government announced it would 
re-open public media to the opposition.  The Agence 
Mauritanienne d'Information (AMI), Radio Mauritania and 
Mauritanian Television generally focus on official news and 
exclude opposition events and opinions.  Note:  According to 
Embassy LES, the closure of media to the opposition occurred 
after former minister and wali Isselmou Ould Abdel Kader 
appeared on an October 21, 2008 TV show and stated that 
"there are foreign mercenaries among the BASEP elements." 
Then General Aziz dismissed the television director and Abdel 
Kader spent a few months in jail.  End comment.  Since the 
announcement, the authorities have attempted to organize 
television debates with the opposition.  Nevertheless, 
according to RFD's Ahmed Ould Daddah, the climate of mistrust 
is such that the opposition and the authorities have been 
unable to agree on the modalities of the debates.  According 
to Daddah, one of the debates was canceled because the 
opposition refused to allow its party presidents to 
participate for fear that their statements would be 
distorted.  They asked to be represented instead by party 
vice-presidents in order to "test the waters" but the 
majority declined.  Comment:  The official media does not 
have a reputation of offering balanced coverage.  Even under 
the Abdallahi government, stories that put the government in 
a bad light were never aired.  During the period of the coup, 
the official press reached its nadir -- being called "PRAVDA" 
by most Mauritanians.  Since Aziz's inauguration, we have 
 
NOUAKCHOTT 00000012  003 OF 003 
 
 
noted some tentative efforts to allow alternative views.  The 
government also says it is moving forward on implementing an 
audiovisual reform that will allow for the creation of 
private radio and television outlets.  End Comment. 
 
¶10.  (U)  Mauritania signs a formal agreement with the IMF: 
The IMF signed an agreement with the GIRM which will grant 
USD 100 million of assistance to Mauritania between 
2010-2013.  According to the Mauritanian Minister of Finance, 
this program will enable Mauritania to better control its 
public finances, strengthen reforms initiated in the 
financial sector, give more credibility to the exchange 
markets and strengthen Mauritania's energy policy to better 
withstand shocks to domestic petroleum production and energy 
price fluctuations. 
 
¶11.  (SBU)  Mauritanian-Sudanese agreements signed:  During 
the visit of President El Beshir to Mauritania on December 
21, 16 cooperation agreements were signed between the 
countries, including an agreement that permits visa-free 
travel for citizens of Mauritania and Sudan to facilitate 
trade and travel between the countries.  Comment: Sudan has 
relatively significant commercial interests in Mauritania 
including majority interest in one of the three cellular 
phone companies.  Former President/Colonel Vall is often 
associated with those investments.  Western diplomats, UN 
agencies, and the U.S. avoided the traditional diplomatic 
activities associated with the Sudanese visit.  End Comment 
 
¶12.  (U)  SNIM concludes USD 710 million USD financing drive: 
 On December 1, SNIM, the largest parastatal company 
announced it had successfully secured USD 710 million in 
financing for the construction of the Guelb II iron ore 
concentrator project, which is intended to increase SNIM's 
iron ore production capability by up to 3 million tons a 
year.  The financing was acquired by pool of multinational 
financial institutions and commercial banks.  A contract 
worth USD 630 million was awarded to the Canadian firm 
SNC-Lavalin to undertake the engineering and construction of 
this project. 
 
¶13.  (U)  USD 34 million loan from Arab Development Fund: 
The Arab Development Fund signed a loan agreement valued at 
approximately USD 34 million to assist Mauritania in 
increasing the efficiency and amount of domestic electricity 
production. 
 
¶14.  (U)  2010 Mauritanian budget passed:  The Mauritanian 
parliament passed the 2010 budget, despite abstentions by 
certain opposition members of the APP, Adil and Tawassoul 
parties.  The 2010 budget of approximately USD 1 billion is a 
3.69 percent increase over 2009 expenditures. 
 
 
 
BOULWARE