Yahya Ould Ahmed El Waghef

Waghef was born in Moudjéria. He was Director-General of the Mauritanian Gas Company (Societé Mauritanienne de Gaz, SOMAGAZ) from January 2003 to August 2003 and then Director of the Banc d'Arguin National Park from September 2003^[1] until he was appointed as Secretary-General of the Ministry of Hydraulics and Energy on October 27, 2004.^[5] He served in that capacity until April 2005, at which point he became Director-General of Air Mauritanie, remaining in that post until December 2006.^[1]

After President Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh Abdallahi took office in April 2007, he appointed Waghef as Minister Secretary-General of the Presidency of the Republic on April 28, 2007.^[6] On January 5, 2008, Waghef was elected as President of ADIL, a party that was formed to support Abdallahi, at the end of the party's constitutive congress.^[7]

Prime Minister Zeine Ould Zeidane resigned on May 6, 2008, and Abdallahi appointed Waghef to succeed him on the same day.^[2]^[3] Following consultations with majority and opposition parties regarding the formation of the new government, the Union of the Forces of Progress (UFP) announced on May 9 that it intended to participate in Waghef's government;^[8] the National Coalition for Reform and Development (Tewassoul) also announced that it had decided to participate in the government on May 10.^[9] However, the President of the Rally of Democratic Forces, Ahmed Ould Daddah, said on May 7 that his party would not participate;^[10] the President of the Alliance for Justice and Democracy/Movement for Renewal, Ibrahima Moctar Sarr, also said on May 10 that his party would not participate due to policy differences.^[11] On May 11, Waghef's government was named; it is comprised of 30 members, including 24 ministers,^[12]^[13] and 12 of its members had previously served under Zeidane. Members of ADIL accounted for almost two-thirds of Waghef's government and held most of the key ministries. Four members of the government were from the two opposition parties which decided to participate.^[12]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c CV as Minister Secretary-General of the Presidency of the Republic, Agence Mauritanienne d'Information (accessed May 7, 2008) (French).
^ ^a ^b "Mauritanie: démission du Premier ministre Zeine Ould Zeidane", AFP (Jeuneafrique.com), May 6, 2008 (French).
^ ^a ^b "Mauritania: Ould Ahmed El Waghev becomes new Premier", African Press Agency, May 6, 2008.
^ "M. Yahya Ould Ahmed El Waghef nommé Premier ministre", Agence Mauritanienne d'Information, May 6, 2008 (French).
^ "Communiqué du conseil des ministres", Agence Mauritanienne d'Information, October 27, 2004 (French).
^ "Nominations à la Présidence de la République", Agence Mauritanienne d'Information, April 28, 2007 (French).
^ "Formation du parti de la majorité "Adel" (Ere Nouvelle de la Démocratie et du Développement) et élection de ses instances provisoires", Agence Mauritanienne d'Information, January 5, 2008 (French).
^ "L'UFP décide de participer au gouvernement", AMI, May 9, 2008 (French).
^ "Le parti "Tewassoul" annonce sa participation au gouvernement", AMI, May 10, 2008 (French).
^ "Le RFD décide de ne pas participer au futur gouvernement", AMI, May 9, 2008 (French).
^ "L'AJD/MR annonce qu'il ne participera au nouveau gouvernement", AMI, May 10, 2008 (French).
^ ^a ^b "Mauritanie: formation d'un gouvernement de 30 membres dont 4 de l'opposition", AFP (Jeuneafrique.com), May 11, 2008 (French).
^ "Désignation du nouveau gouvernement", AMI, May 11, 2008 (French).