Africa
Mauritania Premier Replaced
By Afrol News, 7/5/08
May 8, 2008 - 10:15:05 AM

El Waghev, Chief Presidential Secretary and the head of the National Pact for Development and Democracy (PNDD-ADIL), replaced Zein Ould Zeidane who resigned after an audience with the President at State House in the capital Nouakchott on Tuesday.

President Abdallahi, who has accepted the resignation, expressed "gratitude to Mr Zeidane and his cabinet for their giant efforts."

Zeidane, a former Central Bank Chief, ranked third place in Mauritania's presidential election last year. He was believed to have been compensated for the post of Prime Minster after backing President Abdallahi in a run-off vote.

The Zeidane administration has been grilled for its snail pace response to a string of attacks by al-Qaeda Maghreb. The murder of four French tourists and the abrupt cancellation of the popular annual Dakar rally on security grounds have taken great tolls on the competence to contain terrorism, let alone guarantee peace and stability. The escape of a prime terror suspect from court - although rearrested later - has added salt to injury.