Mauritania reappoints PM following electricity crisis report

Mauritanian Prime Minister Mokhtar Ould Djay has been reappointed by President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani to form a new 29-member government. This political move follows the resignation of the previous administration on October 9, 2026, shortly after the release of an independent commission's report regarding major electrical infrastructure failures.

The report investigated two fires that occurred in August at transformer substations operated by the Mauritanian Electricity Company (Somelec) in Nouakchott. The investigation identified serious deficiencies in prevention, electrical protection, work supervision, and emergency management. It specifically noted that overheating in non-compliant electrical connections was the likely cause, though no evidence of sabotage was found. The report also highlighted irregularities in a $9 million contract for cable replacement, including the use of unqualified companies and modified technical specifications.

In the newly announced cabinet, several ministers retained their positions, while others were replaced, including the Minister of Energy and Petroleum. The new government is tasked with implementing the commission's recommendations to improve the reliability of the national power grid and prevent future widespread outages.