Mauritania’s main opposition parties have boycotted President Ould Abdel Aziz’s call for national inclusive dialogue, which they believe is a covert agenda to maintain the Mauritania President in power after he reaches constitutional term limit. The 10-day dialogue, opened on Thursday, has lost, according to main opposition figures, its credibility as the political parties opposed to President Ould Abdel Aziz have declined Nouakchott’s invitation. FNDU, standing for the National Forum for Democracy and Unity and made up of several opposition parties, refused to attend the dialogue. The Mauritanian regime and opposition have been at loggerheads over constitutional reforms and plans by the Mauritanian President to seek a third term in office despite constitutional ban. Ould Abdel Aziz has repeatedly denied having plans to seek a third term, but during the opening of the dialogue he said that only the people can decide.

Source: The North Africa Journal October 03, 2016 21:11 UTC