Mauritania Junta rejects AU Ultimatum

The head of Mauritania’s ruling military junta has rejected an African Union (AU) ultimatum to reinstate deposed President Sidi Ould Sheikh Abdallahi, saying such action would not serve the interests of the Mauritanian people. General Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz insisted that constitutional institutions like the National Assembly and the Senate were working as usual despite the absence of an elected president, which he said would be resolved through a presidential election to be held at an unspecified date. Last week, the AU warned that it would institute sanctions against Mauritania if President Abdallahi’s democratically elected government was not reinstated by October 6.[PE]