Mauritania prepares for Interim Phase military rule

The new Mauritanian authorities formed three committees to prepare for the interim phase, which the new regime said will not exceed two years, after which authority will be handed to the civilians.

The committees will submit results of its works to the military council for justice and development, which assumes the task of running the country, within two months in order to discuss these results with poltical parties, the civil society and business circles.

The spokesman for the government and minister of higher education, Naji Weld Muhammad Mahmoud, said in a press conference that the first committee will study the referendum on the constitution and means of ensuring transparent elections, while the second committee studies the reforms of the judiciary so as to be independent, and the third is reforming the administration and fighting corruption.

Muhammad Mahmoud refused the mediation of the African Union and the participation of exiled groups in the efforts to bring back democracy. He said "This matter is of concern to the Mauritanians, and for this reason it should be dealt with on the national soil." This comes as many of these opposition armed groups announced last Sunday in Senegal giving up armed struggle to achieve change in Mauritania.