Polls close in Mauritania, with the incumbent ally of the West favored to win

Polls have closed in the presidential election in Mauritania. Incumbent Mohamed Ould Ghazouani is widely expected to win the vote after positioning Mauritania as a strategic ally of the West in a region swept by coups and violence. Ghazouni is seeking reelection on the pledge of providing security and economic growth. He's a former army chief and the current president of the African Union. He came to power in 2019 following the first democratic transition in the country’s history and on Saturday promised to respect the results of the vote. His opponents have accused him of corruption and mismanagement. But he remains popular among Mauritanians who see him as a beacon of stability.