PM Moctar Ould Diay forms 29-member cabinet following fire probe

Mauritania’s newly structured 29-member cabinet takes office following an independent investigation into August electrical fires that paralyzed Nouakchott, as Prime Minister Moctar Ould Diay forms a larger administration that drops twelve former ministers.

Cabinet Expansion and Major Departures in Nouakchott

Prime Minister Moctar Ould Diay constituted the 29-minister team late Saturday evening, October 10, 2026, expanding the cabinet from its previous size of 25 portfolios, rfi.fr reported. The restructuring followed the mass resignation of the outgoing government after President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani received the investigative findings.

The administration changes touch critical security and sovereignty posts. Mohamed Ahmed Ould Mohamed Lemine departs from the Ministry of the Interior, replaced by Moctar Ahmed Bousseif. Eight women secure cabinet positions, including Ba Aïssata Yahya as secretary-general to the Presidency and Aïssata Lam heading the Ministry of Fisheries.

Energy Leadership Changes Follow Substation Fire Investigation

Energy leadership faces immediate turnover following the infrastructure failures. Former Energy Minister Mohamed Ould Khaled, in office since 2024, is excluded from the new government and replaced by Mohamed Ould Abdel Fattah, who previously held the portfolio, rfi.fr noted.

The independent commission report identified overheating as the most probable cause of the August 21 and 22 substation fires, tying the failures to three recently installed high-voltage lines. Investigators cited severe lapses in safety oversight, poor technical supervision, and the use of unauthorized materials without finding evidence of sabotage.

Disputes over accountability immediately followed the release of the findings. He called for a broader examination of the material’s acquisition and chain of custody.