Mauritanian tycoon Bouamatou ends decade-long exile with emotional return

In a moment steeped in deep emotion, Mohamed Bouamatou, Mauritania’s renowned businessman and founder of the General Bank of Mauritania (GBM), touched down in Nouakchott aboard a private jet late Monday, concluding a decade of self-imposed exile across Morocco and Europe. His first act upon arrival on Tuesday, March 10, 2020, was a visit to a Nouakchott cemetery, where he paid solemn tribute to his late mother, who had passed away just months earlier.

A statement issued to the press shed light on the reasons behind his prolonged absence, describing it as a ‘painful separation from the motherland.’

The businessman, a long-standing ally of former President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, was forced to leave Mauritania in the early 2010s amid escalating tensions with his cousin and political figurehead. While the root cause of their rift remains shrouded in ambiguity, Bouamatou’s financial empire soon became a target, facing relentless scrutiny from tax authorities. His bank, GBM, was among the entities hit with crippling financial penalties, marking the beginning of a legal and political ordeal that would span years.

The situation took a dramatic turn on September 1, 2017, when Bouamatou became the subject of an international arrest warrant. This move followed a fierce political backlash against a constitutional reform proposal that sought to abolish the Senate—a chamber he was widely believed to have masterminded behind the scenes. The warrant, however, failed to derail his influence, as his business ventures continued to thrive despite the adversity.

In a gesture of gratitude, Bouamatou acknowledged the pivotal role played by current President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani. In a heartfelt address, he praised the leader’s decisive actions in restoring Mauritania to a path of legal stability and democratic progress, stating, ‘May Allah forgive those who, in any capacity, contributed to the injustice I endured—and that so many fellow Mauritanians faced.’ He reaffirmed his commitment to advancing the nation’s economy and elevating living standards for its people.

Recent weeks have seen a wave of relief for Bouamatou and other critics of the previous regime, as Mauritania’s judiciary moved to quash the charges against him and fellow dissidents, including Mustapha Limam Chaafi. This landmark decision signals the closure of a turbulent chapter, though whether it marks a definitive end to the long-standing feud between the former president and his billionaire cousin remains an open question.