Nouakchott - Mohammad Sharif Aabidi
Mauritanian Coordination for Democratic Opposition
Increases in fuel prices in Mauritania have reached an unsustainable point according to Mauritanian citizens in a statement aimed towards the Mauritanian Coordination for Democratic Opposition (COD), which
the citizens are calling upon to put pressure on President Mohammed Ould Abdelaziz\'s regime in order to annul price rises.
The latest rise in fuel prices in Mauritania is the second to take place in Ramadan and sixth in 2012, has seen the price of petrol reach 360.90 ouguiya per litre ($ 1.5). A price the statement said had pushed a lot of citizens into selling their cars as they will not be able to afford fuel costs.
The Mauritanian government explains the frequent rises in fuel prices as a consequence of rises in the worldwide market.
Sources within the Mauritanian opposition said to Arabstoday that COD is putting the final touches on a new strategy for the opposition aimed at bringing Ould Abdelaziz\' rule to an end \"within months\".
The new strategy is expected to be launched by next week and will include the organisation of persistent mass protests and sit-ins, one of which will take place in front of the presidential palace in Nouakchott.
President Ould Abdelaziz has earlier invited some of the opposition\'s figures to the annual Iftar banquetin his palace, but his invitation was turned down as the opposition said they have \"no hope in Ould Abdelaziz drawing any lessons from the major changes that took place in the Arab world during the last 20 months in what has been known as the Arab Spring.\"