Mauritania: Former President Aziz accused of trying to hand over an island to a Qatari prince

13 Juillet 2020

Nouakchott, Mauritania, July 13 (Infosplusgabon) - A Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry (CEP), charged with carrying out investigations into his governance for 11 years, including the awarding of dozens of contracts, has accused former Mauritanian President, Mohamed ould Abdel Aziz (2008/2019), of having proposed the transfer of an island in the national territory (located 100 km north of Nouakchott) to a prince of Qatar,  Infosplusgabon learned from parliamentary sources on Monday.

Three former prime ministers and several former ministers and businessmen close to Mohamed ould Abdel Aziz were grilled by the parliamentary committee, some on two or three occasions.

As a result of these inquiry and accusations, Isselkou ould Ahmed Izidbih, Mauritania's ambassador in London, who was recently transferred to Rome and was foreign minister for several years under Aziz, announced his resignation after his name came up as being involved in the transfer of the island.

"On a decision related to the charges brought against my person in the case of a proposal to cede an island from the national territory, I went before the Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry (P.C.I.) in order to clear my honor. I have never had anything to reproach myself within my career as a senior civil servant, but members of the commission tried to smear my reputation," the outgoing ambassador said.

Mohamed ould Abdel Aziz came to power on 6 August, 2008, in a coup d'état.

He was elected president of the Republic in July 2009 and re-elected for a second term in June 2014.

He relinquished power to Mohamed Cheikh ould Ghazouani, a retired general like himself and his friend for over 40 years, on 1 August 2019.

FIN/ INFOSPLUSGABON/ANK/GABON2020

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