Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould el-Ghazouani named former minister Ismail Ould Badah Ould Cheikh Sidia as prime minister and tasked him with forming a new government, a presidential statement said.
Ould Cheikh Sidia, 58, replaces Ahmed Salim Ould Bashir who resigned Saturday.
In his first statement after the appointment, PM Sidia said the President entrusted him with the formation of a government, taking into account the magnitude of challenges and noble objectives.
He was quoted by Mauritanian media as saying that he will begin to implement the vision of President Ghazouani and his integrated electoral program.
Sidia was appointed Minister of Housing, Urbanization and Land Reclamation and Minister of Employment, Vocational Training, Information and Communication Technologies between 2009 and 2014.
He also oversaw the launch of the free zone in Nouadhibou, the country's second-largest city and its economic capital. He was also head of the region's regulatory authority and worked as an international expert in Paris after his sudden dismissal from office.
The President also assigned former interior minister and the current ambassador in Mali, Mohamed Ahmed Ould Mohamed el-Amin, as director of his Diwan.
Mauritania's newly elected president, Mohamed Ould El Ghazouani, took over from former President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, who came to power in 2008 and spent two five-year terms.
Former President Abdel Aziz left Mauritania on Friday after handing over power to his successor on Thursday during a peaceful and constitutional ceremony in a country known for coups.
Eyewitnesses were quoted as saying that Abdel Aziz traveled on a regular flight to Turkey where he is expected to spend a period of time in Istanbul with his family.
In other news, the General Administration of Treasury and Public Accounting launched a new information system “al-Arqam.”
The Treasury began the pilot testing phase of this system, according to Mauritanian media sources.
The new system has been developed around a central database characterized by management data related to the accounting system.
This application will also enable the production of more reliable real-time reports aimed at improving public finances and providing parliament and citizens with information on the implementation of state budgets and local communities. In addition, it will contribute to enhancing transparency in the work of the new government.