Mohamed Ould Ghazouani

Mohamed Ould Cheikh Mohamed Ahmed Ould Ghazouani (محمد ولد الشيخ محمد أحمد ولد الغزواني; born 31 December 1956), also known as Ghazouani and Ould Ghazouani, is a Mauritanian politician and retired Mauritanian Army general who is the President of Mauritania, assuming office on 1 August 2019.

He is a former General Director of National Security and former Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Mauritania (2008–2018). He was Defence Minister for Mauritania from October 2018 to March 2019. A close ally of Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, Ghazouani was elected as President of Mauritania on 22 June 2019 following the presidential election.

Personal life
Ghazouani was born in Boumdeid, Assaba region on 31 December 1956. He belongs to a well-known Sufi family in Mauritania. Ghazouani is the son of a spiritual leader of the Maraboutique tribe Ideiboussat. Ghazouani is a memorizer of the Quran. He is married to a doctor, Mariam Mint Mohamed Vadhel Ould Dah. They have five children.

Military career
He joined the Mauritanian Army in the late 1970s. He continued his training as an officer in Morocco. He received a baccalaureate degree, a master's degree in Administration and Military Sciences, and completed several war training certificates and courses.

Ghazouani is an ally of current President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, and was his partner in the overthrow of President Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi in 2008, and was a member of the military council that ousted former President Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya In 2005.

Political career
In October 2018, President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz named him as defence minister of Mauritania.

On 1 March 2019, Ghazouani announced his candidacy for the presidency, seeking to replace President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz. On 15 March he resigned as defence minister to pursue his presidential ambition.

On 22 June 2019, he became Mauritania's elected president after a presidential election against five candidates in a race to the "gray palace".

On 1 August 2019, he was sworn in as 9th President of Mauritania.