Mauritania reshuffles government following electrical grid scandal

Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani has reconstituted the government following the resignation of the previous cabinet. Prime Minister Moctar Ould Diay was reappointed by the President and tasked with forming a new team, a move seen as an effort to maintain political stability.

The reshuffle follows an independent commission report regarding a major electrical crisis in Nouakchott, where fires at two transformer stations left over one million people without power. The report implicated former Energy Minister Mohamed Ould Khaled for oversight failures and identified irregularities in public procurement contracts related to Somelec, the national electricity company.

While some observers view the new appointments as a strategic attempt to address economic challenges and bolster international confidence, others have criticized the lack of diversity in the new cabinet. The opposition is calling for judicial action following the power outages, suggesting that a mere cabinet reshuffle may be insufficient to address public indignation.