Mohamed Ould Ghazouani facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mohamed Ould Ghazouani
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محمد ولد الغزواني
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Ghazouani in 2022
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| 9th President of Mauritania | |
| Assumed office 1 August 2019 |
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| Prime Minister | Mohamed Salem Ould Béchir Ismail Ould Bedde Ould Cheikh Sidiya Mohamed Ould Bilal Mokhtar Ould Djay |
| Preceded by | Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz |
| 22nd Chairperson of the African Union | |
| In office 17 February 2024 – 15 February 2025 |
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| Preceded by | Azali Assoumani |
| Succeeded by | João Lourenço |
| Minister of Defense | |
| In office October 2018 – 15 March 2019 |
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| President | Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz |
| Prime Minister | Mohamed Salem Ould Béchir |
| Preceded by | Jallow Mamadou Bhatia |
| Succeeded by | Yahya Ould Hademine |
| Chief of Army Staff | |
| In office 13 May 2008 – 6 November 2018 |
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| President | Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz |
| Preceded by | Felix Negri |
| Succeeded by | Mohamed Cheikh Ould Mohamed Lemine |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 4 December 1956 Boumdeid, Assaba Region, Colonial Mauritania |
| Political party | Equity Party (since 2022) |
| Other political affiliations |
Union for the Republic (until 2022) |
| Spouse | Mariem Mint Dah |
| Children | 6 |
| Residence | Presidential Palace, Nouakchott |
| Education | Meknes Royal Military Academy |
| Occupation |
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| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Mauritania |
| Branch/service | Mauritanian Army |
| Years of service | 1970s–2018 |
| Rank |  General |
| Commands | General Director of National Security Chief of National Army Staff |
Mohamed Ould Cheikh Mohamed Ahmed Ould Ghazouani (Arabic: محمد ولد الشيخ محمد أحمد ولد الغزواني), born on December 4, 1956, is a Mauritanian politician and a retired army general. He is often called Ghazouani or Ould Ghazouani. Since 2019, he has been the 9th President of Mauritania. From February 2024 to February 2025, he also served as the 22nd chairperson of the African Union, a group of countries working together for peace and development in Africa.
Before becoming president, Ghazouani was a top military leader. He was the general director of National Security and the chief of staff for the Armed Forces of Mauritania from 2008 to 2018. He also served as Mauritania's defense minister from October 2018 to March 2019. He was elected president of Mauritania on June 22, 2019. This election was seen as the first time power was peacefully transferred in the country since it became independent.
As president, Ghazouani has helped Mauritania stay stable and peaceful. He has worked to improve social support for people and fight against dishonest practices. He also played a key role in stopping violence from extremist groups and making the military stronger.
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About Mohamed Ould Ghazouani's Life
Mohamed Ould Ghazouani was born in Boumdeid, in the Assaba Region, on December 4, 1956. He comes from a well-known family in Mauritania that follows a spiritual path called Sufism. His father was a spiritual leader. Ghazouani has also memorized the entire Quran, which is the holy book of Islam.
He is married to Mariam Bint Mohamed Fadel Ould Dah, who is a doctor. They have five children together.
Mohamed Ould Ghazouani's Career Journey
Military Service and Training
Mohamed Ould Ghazouani joined the Mauritanian Army in the late 1970s. He continued his training to become an officer at the Meknes Royal Military Academy in Morocco. He earned a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in Administration and Military Sciences. He also completed several special training courses for war and defense.
From 1987 to 1991, Ghazouani worked as an aide-de-camp for President Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya. This means he was a personal assistant to the president.
Ghazouani was a close partner of former president Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz. They worked together in 2008 to remove President Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi from power. He was also part of the military group that removed former president Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya in 2005.
Stepping into Politics
In October 2018, President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz chose Ghazouani to be the Defense Minister of Mauritania. This was a very important role in the government.
On March 1, 2019, Ghazouani announced that he would run for president. He wanted to take over from President Abdel Aziz. To focus on his presidential campaign, he resigned from his role as defense minister on March 15.
Leading Mauritania as President (2019–Present)
On June 22, 2019, Ghazouani was elected as Mauritania's president. He won the 2019 Mauritanian presidential election against five other candidates. On August 1, 2019, he officially became the 9th President of Mauritania.
After becoming president, his relationship with former president Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz became difficult. This was due to information about financial issues involving the former president. A special investigation was started in August 2020.
As both defense minister and president, Ghazouani has done a lot to fight against extremist groups like Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. These groups had carried out dangerous attacks in Mauritania between 2005 and 2011. His efforts included working with local communities, talking with religious groups, and improving the military. These actions have been very successful in stopping armed extremist violence.
Ghazouani also helped pay for the medical treatment of a radio presenter named Salka mint Sneid.
In October 2024, Ghazouani attended the 16th BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia. There, he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin. In July 2025, he joined four other leaders from West African countries at a meeting in the White House with President Donald Trump. The purpose of this meeting was to promote Mauritania's valuable mineral resources and its important location.
See also
In Spanish: Mohamed Ould Ghazouani para niños
