Mauritanians vote for president with the incumbent ally of the West favored to win

Mauritanians are voting for their next president, with the incumbent Mohamed Ould Ghazouani widely expected to win the vote after positioning Mauritania as a strategic ally of the West in a region swept by coups and violence. Ghazouni, who is seeking reelection on the pledge of providing security and economic growth, is a former army chief and the current president of the African Union. He came to power in 2019 following the first democratic transition in the country’s history, and on Saturday promised to respect the results of the vote. Although his opponents accused him of corruption and mismanagement, he remains popular among Mauritanians who see him as a beacon of stability.