Exclusive Interview with Mohamed Ould Bouamatou, Head of BSA Group
Mohamed Ould Bouamatou: Encouraging Investment and Change in Mauritania
Mohamed Ould Bouamatou, the CEO of Bouamatou Societé Anonyme (BSA) and a prominent Mauritanian businessman, has returned to his home country following changes in the political landscape. He is encouraging foreign investors to invest in transparent projects in Mauritania, urging them to behave as they would in their own countries.
Ould Bouamatou questions the unprecedented situation of Mauritania, a country with a 600-kilometer-long Senegal River, importing vegetables. He is optimistic that the new decade under President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani will bring hope, serenity, and a revival of business.
The businessman believes that Mauritania is already prosperous, with resources such as a 600-kilometer coastline, gold mines, iron mines, and a 600-kilometer river. He asserts that the previous regime prevented anyone from doing business except a small inner circle, costing Mauritania a whole decade.
Ould Bouamatou does not approve of the previous president's declaration of personal wealth, finding it unheard of for a head of state to do so. He is optimistic that Mauritania will achieve food self-sufficiency within the current decade and sees potential for the country to become the Dubai of West Africa.
To attract foreign investors, Ould Bouamatou's investment strategy focuses on demonstrating that "things have changed" in Mauritania. He emphasizes the changed, more favorable investment climate in the country, inviting foreign investors to consider Mauritania as an attractive destination.
The businessman believes in giving investors the freedom to exercise and sees the state's role as a guarantor, not a manager. He does not provide any specific social media handle for connection.
Ould Bouamatou suggests taking inspiration from Morocco's success in the fishery to address unemployment in Mauritania. He states that the new regime no longer requires investors to bow to anyone or go through a gang, as was the case under the previous regime.
Despite not believing in projections for a developed Africa by 2050, Ould Bouamatou is optimistic about the future of Mauritania. He believes in a new decade of construction and achievement for the country.
- Mohamed Ould Bouamatou, with his focus on demonstrating a changed investment climate in Mauritania, hopes to attract foreign investors in the finance sector, as he envisions Mauritania becoming a hub for business, potentially rivaling Dubai in West Africa, promoting food self-sufficiency and harnessing the country's natural resources such as its 600-kilometer coastline, gold mines, iron mines, and 600-kilometer river.
- In order to encourage investment and growth in Mauritania, Ould Bouamatou advocates for the state to act as a guarantor, giving investors the freedom to exercise, and underscores that the new regime no longer requires investors to go through middlemen or navigate bureaucratic obstacles, ensuring a more transparent and favorable business environment.
