Frenchman Didier Gomes Da Rosa will coach Mauritania at January’s Africa Cup of Nations finals in Cameroon.
The 52-year-old replaces his compatriot Corentin Martins, who lost his job in October after Mauritania failed to reach the African World Cup play-offs.
The Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania (FFRIM) made the announcement on Wednesday, but did not give any details of his contract.
It is Gomes Da Rosa’s first job in charge of a national team but he has been coaching in Africa at club level since 2013.
He has been without a job since last month, when he left Tanzanian side Simba after he failed to take them into the group stages of the African Champions League.
His previous clubs include Coton Sport de Garoua (Cameroon), Horoya AC (Guinea), Ismaily (Egypt) and Al Merrikh (Sudan).
The Frenchman’s first task will be to prepare the Mourabitounes for their second consecutive appearance at the Nations Cup finals where they are in Group F along with The Gambia, Tunisia and Mali.