Maaouia Ould Taya
| Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya معاوية ولد سيد أحمد الطايع |
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| President of Mauritania | |
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In office 12 December 1984 – 3 August 2005 |
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| Preceded by | Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla |
| Succeeded by | Ely Ould Mohamed Vall |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
November 28, 1941 Atar, Mauritania |
| Nationality | Mauritanian |
| Political party | Democratic and Social Republican Party |
| Religion | Sunni Islam |
| Military service | |
| Service/branch | Mauritanian Army |
| Years of service | 1961 - 1992 |
| Rank | Colonel |
Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya (Arabic: معاوية ولد سيد أحمد الطايع, Ma‘āwiyah wuld Sīdi Aḥmad aṭ-Ṭāya‘, also transliterated as Mu'awiya walad Sayyidi Ahmad Taya) (born November 28, 1941) is a Mauritanian military officer who served as the president of Mauritania from 1984 to 2005. He was ousted by a military coup in 2005. Prior to his presidency, he held the position of prime minister from 1981 to 1984.
Born in the town of Atar (Adrar Region), Ould Taya attended a Franco-Arabic Primary School from 1949 to 1955. He then attended Rosso High School in southern Mauritania. After graduation, he attended a French military school in 1960 and graduated as an officer the next year. In 1975, he received strategic training at the French War Academy. In 1978 the Mauritanian army seized power and ousted President Moktar Ould Daddah, in an attempt to forestall government collapse in the war over Western Sahara against the Polisario Front (1975–79). Ould Taya was among the conspirators, and quickly gained influence within the government.
After holding various positions in the military, Ould Taya was appointed Chief of Staff of the Army in January 1981, during the rule of military head of state Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla. In the aftermath of a failed coup against Ould Haidalla in March 1981, Ould Taya was appointed Prime Minister on 25 April 1981, replacing civilian prime minister Sid Ahmed Ould Bneijara. He held this office until 8 March 1984, when Ould Haidalla, who was still head of state, took over the post. On 12 December 1984, while Ould Haidalla was out of the country, Ould Taya seized power and declared himself Chairman of the Military Committee for National Salvation.
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