Sidi Abdallahi

President of Mauritania from 19 April 2007 to 6 August 2008.

Date of Birth: 01.01.1938

Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh Abdallahi
Early Life and Education
Political Career
Imprisonment and Exile
Return to Government
Consultancy in Niger
Election as President (2007)
Presidency (2007-2008)
Dismissal of Presidential Guard Chief

Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh Abdallahi

Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh Abdallahi served as the President of Mauritania from April 19, 2007, until August 6, 2008.

Early Life and Education

Abdallahi was born in 1940 in Nema, Mauritania. He received his education in Senegal and France, studying economics and law.

Political Career

Early Career

From 1971 to 1978, Abdallahi served as a minister in the government of Mokhtar Ould Daddah. He held various positions, including Minister of Economy, and played a role in introducing the ouguiya as Mauritania's national currency.

Imprisonment and Exile

After the overthrow of Daddah in July 1978, Abdallahi was imprisoned until 1979. He then worked as an advisor to the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development in Kuwait from 1982 to 1985.

Return to Government

In 1986, Abdallahi was appointed Minister of Hydraulics and Energy. He later held the positions of Minister of Fisheries and Maritime Economy and was again arrested in 1987 on charges of corruption.

Consultancy in Niger

From 1989 to 2003, Abdallahi worked as a consultant for the Kuwait Fund in Niger.

Election as President (2007)

In 2006, Abdallahi ran as an independent candidate in the presidential election following a military coup. Although he was initially seen as the candidate of the ruling Military Council for Justice and Democracy, he ultimately won the second round of voting with the support of other eliminated candidates.

Presidency (2007-2008)

Domestic Policies

As president, Abdallahi met with leaders of the non-Black Mauritanian rebels and created the ADIL political party. He also implemented measures to address the budget deficit by cutting government salaries, including his own, and increasing oil exports.

Dismissal of Presidential Guard Chief

In August 2008, Abdallahi dismissed the head of the presidential guard, General Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz. This decision triggered a rift within the ruling party and led to a military coup that overthrew Abdallahi.