In addition to replacing his minister of foreign affairs, the president, Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, has reorganised the ministers responsible for key economic policymaking. Notably, Mr Abdel Aziz combined mining, oil and energy into a single ministerial portfolio and appointed Taleb Ould Abdi Vall, the former head of the national mining company, Société nationale industrielle de Mauritanie (SNIM), to manage it. Mr Abdi Vall is well placed to be energy minister by dint of both his experience and his training. He has a doctorate in geology and has considerable experience of the sectors encompassed by his new ministerial portfolio, gained not only at SNIM but also as the chief executive of the national electricity utility, Société mauritanienne d'électricité, and as a senior employee of the UK-Australian mining giant, Rio Tinto. However, an industry newsletter, Africa Energy Intelligence, has speculated that, in addition to his having extensive skills and experience, the fact that Mr Abdi Vall hails from the economically powerful but politically under-represented Idawali clan may have been a contributory factor in his appointment. Merging the oil, mining and energy portfolios under one ministry should allow for better co-ordination between these three crucial sectors. It could also allow for economies of scale in terms of administrative staff, although given that the government has announced its intention to create 250 new civil service posts to appease youthful protestors, this may not come to pass. Meanwhile, taking over from Mr Abdi Vall at the helm of SNIM is Mohamed Abdallahi Ould Oudaa, who has twice served as mines and industry minister, as well as working for ten years at SNIM itself. On being appointed, Mr Ould Oudaa, an electrical engineer by training, announced that his priorities included boosting the company's operational capacity, improving and diversifying research, and responding to the threat posed by competitors.

Also notable was the promotion of the budget director and former treasurer-general, Thiam Djombar, to the position of finance minister. He replaced Amedi Camara, who was demoted to minister-delegate for the environment and sustainable development after just two months as finance minister. The reasons for his swift ejection from the Ministry of Finance are not clear, but may relate to the confusion over the 2011 budget (January 2011, Economic policy). One of Mr Djombar's first acts in office was the popular announcement of a temporary relaxation of import restrictions on various classes of automobile.