Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi
Encyclopedia
Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh Abdallahi (born 1938) is a Mauritania
n politician. He served in the government during the 1970s, and after a long period of absence from politics he won the March 2007 presidential election
, taking office on 19 April 2007. He was deposed in a military coup d'état on August 6, 2008
.
in southern Mauritania whilst a French
colony, about 250 kilometers from the capital Nouakchott
. He received his primary education in Aleg and his secondary education in Rosso
, Mauritania and then at the École normale supérieure William Ponty
in Senegal
. He subsequently studied mathematics, physics, and chemistry in Dakar
, Senegal and received a diplôme d'études approfondies
in economics in Grenoble
, France
.
. During the seven years he served in a series of positions in the government, including that of Minister of State for the National Economy in 1975 and Minister of Planning and Mines in 1976.
As Minister of Planning and Mines he was involved in the nationalization
of the iron mines and the introduction of the ouguiya
as the nation's currency. Abdallahi was imprisoned until April 1979 as a result of the coup d’état which removed Moktar Ould Daddah in July 1978. From 1982 to late 1985 Abdallahi lived in Kuwait
where he worked as an adviser to the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development.
When he returned to Mauritania in 1986, he was served under the government under Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya
. Under the Taya administration, he served as Minister of Hydraulics and Energy in 1986 then as Minister of Fishing and Maritime Economy in 1987. After a clash with influential businessmen over fishing policies, he was replaced on September 21, 1987. From September 1989 until June 2003 he lived in Niger
, working again for the Kuwait Fund as an adviser.
.
The Coalition of Forces for Democratic Change
, which won a large portion of the seats in parliament in the 2006 parliamentary election
, sent a letter to various international organizations, including the African Union
, accusing the junta of "running an open campaign in favor of one candidate" through various methods, including asking influential people in the country to back their favored candidate, although the letter did not directly name Abdallahi as this candidate. In the first round of the election, held on March 11, 2007, Abdallahi took first place with 24.80% of the vote. A second round was therefore planned for March 25 between Abdallahi and the second place candidate, Ahmed Ould Daddah
.
On March 17, the third place candidate, Zeine Ould Zeidane
, announced his support for Abdallahi in the second round. Fourth place candidate Messaoud Ould Boulkheir
also announced his support for Abdallahi on March 19.
Following the second round of polling, interior minister Mohamed Ahmed Ould Mohamed Lemine declared Abdallahi the winner on March 26, saying that he won 52.85% of the vote.
Abdallahi won 10 out of the country's 13 regions
. He took office on April 19, 2007 and named Zeidane as prime minister on the next day.
Abdallahi addressed the nation on June 29 for the first time since taking office. In this speech, he referred to the "dark years" of 1989–91, condemning the violence of that time, expressing compassion for its victims, and emphasizing the importance of tolerance and reconciliation. He said that "the State will entirely assume its responsibility to ensure the return" of Mauritanian refugees and promised that they could all "benefit from a reintegration programme in their native lands with the support of the HCR, the Mauritanian state, united national effort and the cooperation of our development partners." He also mentioned an anti-slavery bill
approved by the government.
Plans by Abdallahi's supporters to create a new party to back him were initiated in 2007; the opposition has criticized this as potentially meaning a return to a single-party dominant system, as existed under Taya. The party, called the National Pact for Democracy and Development (Adil), was established at a constitutive congress in early January 2008.
On September 26, 2007, while Abdallahi was at the United Nations
in New York City
, he met a delegation of the Forces of African Liberation of Mauritania (FLAM), a movement seeking the improvement of the conditions of black Mauritanians; this marked the first talks between a Mauritanian head of state and FLAM since it was banned in 1986.
. In the apparently successful and bloodless coup d'etat
, Abdallahi's daughter, Amal Mint Cheikh Abdallahi, said: "The security agents of the BASEP (Presidential Security Battalion) came to our home and took away my father." The coup plotters were top fired security forces, including General Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz
, General Muhammad Ould Al-Ghazwani, General Philippe Swikri, and Brigadier General (Aqid) Ahmad Ould Bakri. Member of parliament Mohammed Al Mukhtar claimed widespread popular support for the coup, saying that Abdallahi had headed "an authoritarian regime" and had "marginalized the majority in parliament."
The coup leaders announced on August 7 that Abdallahi's powers had been terminated and that a newly-formed High Council of State (including General Abdel Aziz as its President) would govern the nation in a transitional period leading to a new presidential election "as soon as possible".
On August 8, Abdallahi's daughter said that she had not been informed of his whereabouts, and she expressed concern for Abdallahi's "health and safety". Meanwhile, Abdel Aziz said in an interview with Jeune Afrique
that the military had been forced to take power by serious economic and political problems. He accused Abdallahi of attempting a "coup against democracy" through his actions; according to Abdel Aziz, Abdallahi had set members of parliament against one another and his dismissal of the senior officers immediately prior to the coup was intended to "divide the army". Abdel Aziz also said that Abdallahi was being held at the Palace of Congress, was "in good conditions", had not complained, and would be released in a matter of days or weeks. According to Abdel Aziz, Abdallahi would probably not be required to leave Mauritania and would probably still be allowed to participate in politics. However, Abdel Aziz was quoted in an interview with Asharq al-Awsat published on August 9 as saying Abdallahi would not be released for "the time being", citing "security reasons".
Waghef and three other high-ranking officials (including the Interior Minister) were released by the military on August 11, while Abdallahi remained in custody. A few hours later, Waghef spoke before a rally of thousands of people and expressed defiance toward the junta, saying that Mauritanians did not accept its rule and urging the people to continue struggling to restore Abdallahi to power. He said that Abdallahi thanked them for their "untiring fight ... to restore constitutional order".
Arab League
Assistant Secretary-General Ahmed bin Heli said on August 11, after returning from Mauritania, that he had asked to meet with Abdallahi but was not allowed to do so. Jean Ping
, the Chairman of the Commission of the African Union
, held talks with Abdel Aziz on August 25–26, and in a statement on August 30, the African Union Commission said that Abdel Aziz had committed to releasing Abdallahi during his talks with Ping. On September 2, 2008, the Mauritanian Parliament, meeting in a special session, chose four deputies and four senators to sit as a High Court that would try Abdallahi on allegations such as corruption and obstruction of Parliament - however no further steps have been taken since.
Four human rights groups met with Abdallahi, who was still being held by the army, on October 19. One of those who met with him said that "his morale was high and he's following the news on the television and the radio" and that he wanted to be allowed to publicly defend his actions as President, as well as meet with supporters. He was taken from Nouakchott to his home village of Lemden on November 13.
According to the government, Abdallahi agreed to leave politics, but at a news conference on November 13 Abdallahi denied that he had promised the junta anything. He also said that being moved to Lemden was meaningless because he "remain[ed] a president under house arrest". On November 20, Abdallahi said in an interview that "once the coup is thwarted" he would "be open to all dialogue to discuss the future of the democratic institutions of the country in the framework of the constitution and the laws of the country". In an interview published on December 20, Abdallahi said that he would not take part in the national consultation meeting planned for December 27, despite being invited by the junta, as he felt his participation would "legitimise the coup d'etat". Abdallahi was taken out of Lemden by security forces in the early hours of December 21, driven to Nouakchott, and then released on the same day.
Abdallahi subsequently returned to Lemden. On January 22, 2009, he attempted to travel to Nouakchott to deliver a speech, but his motorcade was stopped by security forces at Wad Naga, outside of the city. The security forces said that he was not allowed into Nouakchott with a motorcade, but Abdallahi was unwilling to enter the city without his motorcade and chose to instead return to Lemden.
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Mauritania
Mauritania is a country in the Maghreb and West Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean in the west, by Western Sahara in the north, by Algeria in the northeast, by Mali in the east and southeast, and by Senegal in the southwest...
n politician. He served in the government during the 1970s, and after a long period of absence from politics he won the March 2007 presidential election
Mauritanian presidential election, 2007
A Mauritanian presidential election occurred on 11 March 2007. Since no candidate received a majority of the votes, a second round was held on 25 March between the top two candidates, Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi and Ahmed Ould Daddah...
, taking office on 19 April 2007. He was deposed in a military coup d'état on August 6, 2008
2008 Mauritanian coup d'état
A coup d'état took place in Mauritania on 6 August 2008 when Mauritanian President Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh Abdallahi was ousted from power by a group of high ranking generals he had dismissed from office earlier that day.-Background:...
.
Early life and education
Abdallahi was born in the town of AlegAleg
Aleg is the capital of the Brakna Region, Mauritania. It is located at .The town is known as the birthplace of former President of Mauritania, Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi....
in southern Mauritania whilst a French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
colony, about 250 kilometers from the capital Nouakchott
Nouakchott
-Government:The town was first divided into districts in 1973. First it was divided into four. From 1986, the city has been split into nine districts.* Arafat* Dar Naim* El Mina* Ksar* Riad* Sebkha* Tevragh-Zeina* Teyarett* Toujounine...
. He received his primary education in Aleg and his secondary education in Rosso
Rosso
Rosso is the major city of south-western Mauritania and capital of Trarza region. It is situated on the Senegal River at the head of year-round navigation. The town is 204 km south of the capital Nouakchott...
, Mauritania and then at the École normale supérieure William Ponty
École normale supérieure William Ponty
École William Ponty was a government teachers' college in what is now Senegal. The school is now in Kolda, Senegal, where it is currently known as École de formation d’instituteurs William Ponty. It is associated with the French university IUFM at Livry-Gargan.-Notable alumni:Many of the school's...
in Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
. He subsequently studied mathematics, physics, and chemistry in Dakar
Dakar
Dakar is the capital city and largest city of Senegal. It is located on the Cap-Vert Peninsula on the Atlantic coast and is the westernmost city on the African mainland...
, Senegal and received a diplôme d'études approfondies
DEA (former French degree)
A Master of Advanced Studies is a non-consecutive postgraduate degree awarded predominantly in European countries. A MAS program offers comprehensive training in a specific field and can either give access to higher qualification in one's profession or lead to a new profession...
in economics in Grenoble
Grenoble
Grenoble is a city in southeastern France, at the foot of the French Alps where the river Drac joins the Isère. Located in the Rhône-Alpes region, Grenoble is the capital of the department of Isère...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Civil service
In 1968 Abdallahi returned to Mauritania to become Director of the Plan. He worked on the Second Plan for Economic and Social Development. In 1971, he was appointed as a minister of planning and industrial development in September 1971 by the first post independence President Moktar Ould DaddahMoktar Ould Daddah
Moktar Ould Daddah was the President of Mauritania from 1960, when his country gained its independence from France, to 1978, when he was deposed in a military coup d'etat.- Background :...
. During the seven years he served in a series of positions in the government, including that of Minister of State for the National Economy in 1975 and Minister of Planning and Mines in 1976.
As Minister of Planning and Mines he was involved in the nationalization
Nationalization
Nationalisation, also spelled nationalization, is the process of taking an industry or assets into government ownership by a national government or state. Nationalization usually refers to private assets, but may also mean assets owned by lower levels of government, such as municipalities, being...
of the iron mines and the introduction of the ouguiya
Mauritanian ouguiya
The ouguiya , also spelt "ougiya," is the currency of Mauritania. It is the only circulating currency other than the Malagasy ariary whose division units are not based on a power of ten, each ouguiya comprising five khoums .The ouguiya was introduced in 1973, replacing the CFA franc at a rate of 1...
as the nation's currency. Abdallahi was imprisoned until April 1979 as a result of the coup d’état which removed Moktar Ould Daddah in July 1978. From 1982 to late 1985 Abdallahi lived in Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
where he worked as an adviser to the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development.
When he returned to Mauritania in 1986, he was served under the government under Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya
Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya
Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya , was Prime Minister of Mauritania from 1981 to 1984 and president from 1984 to 2005. He guided Mauritania from military rule to democracy, and took a pro-Western stance in foreign affairs...
. Under the Taya administration, he served as Minister of Hydraulics and Energy in 1986 then as Minister of Fishing and Maritime Economy in 1987. After a clash with influential businessmen over fishing policies, he was replaced on September 21, 1987. From September 1989 until June 2003 he lived in Niger
Niger
Niger , officially named the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east...
, working again for the Kuwait Fund as an adviser.
2007 presidential election
Abdallahi announced his candidacy for president on July 4, 2006. He ran as an independent. and was viewed by some as the candidate representing the ruling Military Council for Justice and DemocracyMilitary Council for Justice and Democracy
The Military Council for Justice and Democracy was the supreme political body of Mauritania. It served as the country's interim government following the coup d'etat which ousted the President, Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya on 3 August 2005. It was led by the former director of the national police...
.
The Coalition of Forces for Democratic Change
Coalition of Forces for Democratic Change
The Coalition of Forces for Democratic Change is a political party in Mauritania.The party won in the 21 January and 4 February 2007 Senate elections 3 out of 56 seats....
, which won a large portion of the seats in parliament in the 2006 parliamentary election
Mauritanian parliamentary election, 2006
Parliamentary and municipal elections in Mauritania occurred on 19 November and 3 December 2006. At least 28 political parties competed to comprise the lower house of parliament, the National Assembly; Islamist parties were banned, but many Islamists ran as independent candidates...
, sent a letter to various international organizations, including the African Union
African Union
The African Union is a union consisting of 54 African states. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established on 9 July 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organisation of African Unity...
, accusing the junta of "running an open campaign in favor of one candidate" through various methods, including asking influential people in the country to back their favored candidate, although the letter did not directly name Abdallahi as this candidate. In the first round of the election, held on March 11, 2007, Abdallahi took first place with 24.80% of the vote. A second round was therefore planned for March 25 between Abdallahi and the second place candidate, Ahmed Ould Daddah
Ahmed Ould Daddah
Ahmed Ould Daddah is a Mauritanian economist, politician and civil servant. He is a half-brother of Moktar Ould Daddah, the first President of Mauritania, and belongs to the Marabout Ouled Birri tribe...
.
On March 17, the third place candidate, Zeine Ould Zeidane
Zeine Ould Zeidane
Zeine Ould Zeidane is a Mauritanian economist and politician. He placed third as a candidate in the March 2007 presidential election, and he subsequently served as Prime Minister from April 2007 to May 2008....
, announced his support for Abdallahi in the second round. Fourth place candidate Messaoud Ould Boulkheir
Messaoud Ould Boulkheir
Messaoud Ould Boulkheir is among the first Haratine to become a political leader in Mauritania. Messaoud also contributed significantly to the end of the 1989 events in Mauritania, protecting the right of the victims and the emancipation of the Haratine in Mauritania with his party.Presently,...
also announced his support for Abdallahi on March 19.
Following the second round of polling, interior minister Mohamed Ahmed Ould Mohamed Lemine declared Abdallahi the winner on March 26, saying that he won 52.85% of the vote.
Abdallahi won 10 out of the country's 13 regions
Regions of Mauritania
||Mauritania is divided into 12 regions and one capital district:During the Mauritanian occupation of Western Sahara , its portion of the territory was named Tiris al-Gharbiyya.The regions are subdivided into 44 departments; please see departments of Mauritania for further detail.-See also:*ISO...
. He took office on April 19, 2007 and named Zeidane as prime minister on the next day.
Presidency
After the government announced a 112 million USD budget deficit, mostly due to shortfalls in oil exports due to technical problems, the president decided to take a 25% pay cut and encourage other members of the government to do so on June 7, 2007.Abdallahi addressed the nation on June 29 for the first time since taking office. In this speech, he referred to the "dark years" of 1989–91, condemning the violence of that time, expressing compassion for its victims, and emphasizing the importance of tolerance and reconciliation. He said that "the State will entirely assume its responsibility to ensure the return" of Mauritanian refugees and promised that they could all "benefit from a reintegration programme in their native lands with the support of the HCR, the Mauritanian state, united national effort and the cooperation of our development partners." He also mentioned an anti-slavery bill
Slavery in Mauritania
Slavery in Mauritania is an entrenched phenomenon the national government has repeatedly tried to abolish, banning the practice in 1905, 1981, and August 2007...
approved by the government.
Plans by Abdallahi's supporters to create a new party to back him were initiated in 2007; the opposition has criticized this as potentially meaning a return to a single-party dominant system, as existed under Taya. The party, called the National Pact for Democracy and Development (Adil), was established at a constitutive congress in early January 2008.
On September 26, 2007, while Abdallahi was at the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, he met a delegation of the Forces of African Liberation of Mauritania (FLAM), a movement seeking the improvement of the conditions of black Mauritanians; this marked the first talks between a Mauritanian head of state and FLAM since it was banned in 1986.
2008 coup d'etat
Early in the morning of August 6, 2008, Abdallahi replaced senior army officers; at 9:20 am he was seized from his home by members of the BASEP (Presidential Security Battalion) in a military coup. Presidential spokesman Abdoulaye Mamadouba said that Abdallahi, Prime Minister Yahya Ould Ahmed Waghef, and the Interior Minister, were arrested by renegade senior army officers, unknown troops and a group of generals, and were held under house arrest at the presidential palace in NouakchottNouakchott
-Government:The town was first divided into districts in 1973. First it was divided into four. From 1986, the city has been split into nine districts.* Arafat* Dar Naim* El Mina* Ksar* Riad* Sebkha* Tevragh-Zeina* Teyarett* Toujounine...
. In the apparently successful and bloodless coup d'etat
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
, Abdallahi's daughter, Amal Mint Cheikh Abdallahi, said: "The security agents of the BASEP (Presidential Security Battalion) came to our home and took away my father." The coup plotters were top fired security forces, including General Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz
Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz
General Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz is a Mauritanian politician, currently serving as President of Mauritania...
, General Muhammad Ould Al-Ghazwani, General Philippe Swikri, and Brigadier General (Aqid) Ahmad Ould Bakri. Member of parliament Mohammed Al Mukhtar claimed widespread popular support for the coup, saying that Abdallahi had headed "an authoritarian regime" and had "marginalized the majority in parliament."
The coup leaders announced on August 7 that Abdallahi's powers had been terminated and that a newly-formed High Council of State (including General Abdel Aziz as its President) would govern the nation in a transitional period leading to a new presidential election "as soon as possible".
On August 8, Abdallahi's daughter said that she had not been informed of his whereabouts, and she expressed concern for Abdallahi's "health and safety". Meanwhile, Abdel Aziz said in an interview with Jeune Afrique
Jeune Afrique
Jeune Afrique is a weekly newsmagazine published in Paris, founded in Tunis by Béchir Ben Yahmed on October 17, 1960. It covers the political, economic and cultural spheres of Africa, with an emphasis on Francophone Africa and the Maghreb....
that the military had been forced to take power by serious economic and political problems. He accused Abdallahi of attempting a "coup against democracy" through his actions; according to Abdel Aziz, Abdallahi had set members of parliament against one another and his dismissal of the senior officers immediately prior to the coup was intended to "divide the army". Abdel Aziz also said that Abdallahi was being held at the Palace of Congress, was "in good conditions", had not complained, and would be released in a matter of days or weeks. According to Abdel Aziz, Abdallahi would probably not be required to leave Mauritania and would probably still be allowed to participate in politics. However, Abdel Aziz was quoted in an interview with Asharq al-Awsat published on August 9 as saying Abdallahi would not be released for "the time being", citing "security reasons".
Waghef and three other high-ranking officials (including the Interior Minister) were released by the military on August 11, while Abdallahi remained in custody. A few hours later, Waghef spoke before a rally of thousands of people and expressed defiance toward the junta, saying that Mauritanians did not accept its rule and urging the people to continue struggling to restore Abdallahi to power. He said that Abdallahi thanked them for their "untiring fight ... to restore constitutional order".
Arab League
Arab League
The Arab League , officially called the League of Arab States , is a regional organisation of Arab states in North and Northeast Africa, and Southwest Asia . It was formed in Cairo on 22 March 1945 with six members: Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan , Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Syria. Yemen joined as a...
Assistant Secretary-General Ahmed bin Heli said on August 11, after returning from Mauritania, that he had asked to meet with Abdallahi but was not allowed to do so. Jean Ping
Jean Ping
Jean Ping is a Gabonese diplomat and politician who is currently the Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union...
, the Chairman of the Commission of the African Union
African Union
The African Union is a union consisting of 54 African states. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established on 9 July 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organisation of African Unity...
, held talks with Abdel Aziz on August 25–26, and in a statement on August 30, the African Union Commission said that Abdel Aziz had committed to releasing Abdallahi during his talks with Ping. On September 2, 2008, the Mauritanian Parliament, meeting in a special session, chose four deputies and four senators to sit as a High Court that would try Abdallahi on allegations such as corruption and obstruction of Parliament - however no further steps have been taken since.
Four human rights groups met with Abdallahi, who was still being held by the army, on October 19. One of those who met with him said that "his morale was high and he's following the news on the television and the radio" and that he wanted to be allowed to publicly defend his actions as President, as well as meet with supporters. He was taken from Nouakchott to his home village of Lemden on November 13.
According to the government, Abdallahi agreed to leave politics, but at a news conference on November 13 Abdallahi denied that he had promised the junta anything. He also said that being moved to Lemden was meaningless because he "remain[ed] a president under house arrest". On November 20, Abdallahi said in an interview that "once the coup is thwarted" he would "be open to all dialogue to discuss the future of the democratic institutions of the country in the framework of the constitution and the laws of the country". In an interview published on December 20, Abdallahi said that he would not take part in the national consultation meeting planned for December 27, despite being invited by the junta, as he felt his participation would "legitimise the coup d'etat". Abdallahi was taken out of Lemden by security forces in the early hours of December 21, driven to Nouakchott, and then released on the same day.
Abdallahi subsequently returned to Lemden. On January 22, 2009, he attempted to travel to Nouakchott to deliver a speech, but his motorcade was stopped by security forces at Wad Naga, outside of the city. The security forces said that he was not allowed into Nouakchott with a motorcade, but Abdallahi was unwilling to enter the city without his motorcade and chose to instead return to Lemden.
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