Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya

Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya
معاوية ولد سيد أحمد الطايع
5th President of Mauritania
In office 12 December 1984 – 3 August 2005
Preceded by	Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla
Succeeded by	Ely Ould Mohamed Vall
5th Prime Minister of Mauritania
In office 25 April 1981 – 8 March 1984
Preceded by	Sid'Ahmed Bneijara
Succeeded by	Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla
In office 12 December 1984 – 18 April 1992
Preceded by	Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla
Succeeded by	Sidi Mohamed Ould Boubacar
Personal details
Born	(1941-11-28) 28 November 1941 (age 82) Atar, French Mauritania
Political party	Democratic Republican Party for Renewal (PRDS)
Spouse	Aisha Mint Ahmed-Tolba
Military service
Branch/service	Mauritanian Army
Years of service	1961 – 1992
Rank	Colonel
Battles/wars	Western Sahara War

Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya (Arabic: معاوية ولد سيد أحمد الطايع, romanized: Ma‘āwiyah wuld Sīdi Aḥmad aṭ-Ṭāya‘ / Mu'awiya walad Sayyidi Ahmad Taya; born 28 November 1941) is a Mauritanian military officer who served as the President of Mauritania from 1984 to 2005. During his presidency, he pursued policies of Arab nationalism while deepening ties with the United States.

Having come to power through a bloodless military coup, he was ousted by a military coup himself in 2005. Prior to his presidency, he was the 5th Prime minister of Mauritania between 1981 and 1992 (except for a brief period in 1984).