Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz
A military officer who seized power in a coup and later won elections, shaping Mauritania's modern political landscape through a decade of contested rule.
Born 1956 (age 70)·President of Mauritania from 2009 to 2019·Birthday: December 20·Baby Boomers
Biography
Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz's trajectory is a classic study of political power in the Sahel. A career soldier, he first came to prominence by overthrowing a president in 2005, only to install another. His patience ran out in 2008, when he led a coup against that very president, taking direct control. After a contentious period as head of a military council, he resigned, won a presidential election, and served two terms. His rule was marked by a fierce stance against jihadist groups and efforts to attract foreign investment, particularly in offshore oil and gas. Critics, however, pointed to persistent allegations of corruption and human rights abuses. His presidency ended with a peaceful transfer of power in 2019, a relative rarity in the region, though his influence on Mauritanian politics endured.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Mohamed was born in 1956, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Mohamed Was Born
The biggest hits of 1956
#1 Movie
The Ten Commandments
Best Picture
Around the World in 80 Days
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
Mohamed's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1956Born
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1961Started school
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1969Became a teenager
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1972Could drive
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1974Could vote
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1977Turned 21
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1986Turned 30
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 40
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 50
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 60
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 70
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as President of Mauritania for a decade, from 2009 to 2019, after initially taking power in a military coup.
- Oversaw a period of relative stability and economic growth focused on developing the country's natural resource sectors.
- Positioned Mauritania as a key regional security partner for Western nations in the fight against Islamist militancy in the Sahel.
Did You Know?
He was a colonel in the Mauritanian army and led the Presidential Security Unit before seizing power.
In 2012, he was shot by accident by his own troops, sustaining non-life-threatening injuries.
He is often referred to by the nickname 'El General' due to his military background.
“Stability and security are the foundations for any nation's progress.”
