 France, who had, along with former colonial power Spain, supported the takeover of Western Sahara, backed the regime of Mokhtar Ould Daddah, whom they had installed as President of Mauritania at the end of the colonial era in 1960.Both Mauritania and Morocco were supplied with new military hardware and generous economic aid, to enable them to maintain their grip on the territory.French personnel trained the Mauritanian army and took up important positions in the economy.