Key Facts
—Who. Prime Minister Moctar Ould Diay resigned with his government and was reappointed by President Ghazouani.
—When. The resignation came on Friday, 9 October 2026; the new cabinet was announced on 10 October.
—Cabinet. The new government has 29 ministers, up from 25.
—Energy. Mohamed Ould Khaled left the energy ministry; Mohamed Ould Abdel Vetah took the post.
—Trigger. The reshuffle followed an inquiry into August fires at two power stations in Nouakchott.
Mauritania’s Prime Minister Moctar Ould Diay submitted his government’s resignation to President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani on Friday, 9 October 2026, and was reappointed within hours. The new 29-member cabinet, announced the next day, replaced the energy minister after an inquiry into power fires in the capital.
For US readers, Mauritania matters as a stable partner in the Sahel that began exporting liquefied natural gas in 2025, as we reported in our gas-export coverage. How it handles its power sector is a signal for investors in its energy projects.
Resignation and Immediate Return
Ould Diay resigned on 9 October and Ghazouani reappointed him as prime minister the same day, Maghreb Emergent and RFI reported. He was asked to form a new government, and he said it would carry out the president’s programme, “My Ambition for the Nation”.
The presidency did not give a detailed explanation for the resignation. Ould Diay first became prime minister on 2 August 2024.
The Power Fire Inquiry
Fires broke out on 21 and 22 August 2026 at two Somelec electricity transformer stations in Nouakchott, causing power cuts in the capital. A national commission delivered its report to the president on 8 October, one day before the resignation, according to RFI via AllAfrica.
Reports on the findings pointed to weak prevention, electrical protection, work control and emergency management. Regional outlets linked the energy minister’s departure to the inquiry, but the presidency did not confirm a link.
Who Is in the New Cabinet
Ould Diay presented a 29-member cabinet on 10 October, four more than before. Le360 listed Mohamed Ould Abdel Vetah, also spelled Abdel Fattah, as energy minister; he had held the post before.
Le360 also reported that Ba Ousmane replaced General Hanana Ould Sidi as defence minister, and that El Moctar Ould Ahmed Bouceif became interior minister. Aïssata Lam became minister for fisheries, maritime infrastructure and ports.
What It Means for You
A quick reshuffle that keeps the prime minister but changes the energy minister suggests the president wants to show accountability for the outages without disrupting policy. For US investors in Mauritanian gas and utilities, the continuity of the prime minister is the more important signal.
Power reliability in Nouakchott will be the test. If outages return, pressure on the new energy minister and on state utility Somelec is likely to rise.
What Is Not Known
The presidency has not said that the inquiry caused the resignation, so the link rests on timing and regional reporting. Reports do not say whether the private company or any official named in the inquiry faces charges or sanctions.
The reports do not give the duration of the outages, the number of people affected, the cost of the damage or whether the network has been fully repaired. Names are transliterated differently across outlets, for example Ould Diay and Ould Djay, so spellings may vary.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Mauritania’s prime minister resign?
Yes, Moctar Ould Diay resigned with his government on 9 October 2026. President Ghazouani reappointed him within hours.
Why did the government resign?
The presidency gave no detailed reason. The move came one day after an inquiry report on fires at two Somelec power stations in Nouakchott.
Who is the new energy minister?
Mohamed Ould Abdel Vetah, also spelled Abdel Fattah, replaced Mohamed Ould Khaled. He had held the post before.
How big is the new cabinet?
It has 29 ministers, up from 25, announced on 10 October 2026.
Sources: Maghreb Emergent; Le360; Cridem; RFI.
Further reading: Mauritania Gas Exports Rise 16% in 3 Months; Mauritania Budget Plans US$155M Surplus.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief
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