In a country dominated by clan logic, his success has inevitably whetted appetites and provoked bitter conflict. Bouamatou found himself early on in the political sphere. He stays out of the limelight but little by little has found himself in the role of king-maker. The last one to benefit from his influence was a cousin who is currently the president of Mauritania, Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz. After carrying out his coup in 2008 and acceding to the presidency, Abdel Aziz let his relations with Mohamed Ould Bouamatou deteriorate. The latter, who now lives permanently in Morocco, presents himself as supporting former head of state Ely Ould Mohamed Vall in the 2019 presidential elections. He will make his powerful Nouakchott contact network available to Mohamed Vall and his key political and media connections, including those in France. West Africa Newsletter details these intertwining networks in this new exclusive report.
Insiders | Mauritania
Mohamed Ould Bouamatou, a self-made man who has become Mauritania's leading business man
In a country dominated by clan logic, his success has inevitably whetted appetites and provoked bitter conflict. Bouamatou found himself early on in the political sphere. He stays out of the limelight but little by little has found himself in the role of king-maker. The last one to benefit from his influence was a cousin who is currently the president of Mauritania, Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz. After carrying out his coup in 2008 and acceding to the presidency, Abdel Aziz let his relations with Mohamed Ould Bouamatou deteriorate. The latter, who now lives permanently in Morocco, presents himself as supporting former head of state Ely Ould Mohamed Vall in the 2019 presidential elections. He will make his powerful Nouakchott contact network available to Mohamed Vall and his key political and media connections, including those in France. West Africa Newsletter details these intertwining networks in this new exclusive report.