Madar (Nouakchott) - The opposition "Forces of Salvation" coalition on Saturday, October 17, 2026, criticised the management of debt and public spending, accusing the authorities of squandering the country's resources, at a press conference in Nouakchott, the coalition's first activity since MP Mohamed Lemine Sidi Maouloud was elected its rotating chair.
Sidi Maouloud described debt and spending as the conference's "main entry point", speaking of "billions of dollars" that he said were "looted" during "seven lean years", and citing recently circulated figures comparing Mauritania's debt from independence to 2012 with what has accumulated since.
The problem, he said, is not the debt itself, which generations will repay over decades, but its impact: "In seven years we borrowed the equivalent of what we had borrowed in sixty years", adding that it had no tangible effect other than "enriching a corrupt class".
The coalition chair spoke of a "wave of restrictions on freedoms" in the country, thanking journalists for attending in what he called difficult conditions and the coalition's former leaders for their efforts. He said MP Mohamed Bouya would give a detailed presentation on the subject before questions on all issues.
The coalition's bureau of presidents had elected Sidi Maouloud as rotating chair on Thursday, replacing the outgoing bureau.
