Western Sahara

WESTERN SAHARA

Former colonial possession of Spain in the northwest of Africa, in the southern part of the Sahara Desert, on the Atlantic Ocean coast.

Area - 266,000 km². Historically consists of 2 territories - Segiet el-Hamra (in the north; 82,000 km²) and Rio de Oro (Wadi Dahab, in the south; 184,000 km²). Borders Morocco, Algeria, and Mauritania. Administrative center - El Aaiún (approx. 180,000). Population - approx. 267,000 (2004 estimate), mainly semi-nomadic tribes of Arab-Berber origin. The language of the indigenous population is Arabic. Religion - Sunni Islam.

Since the mid-15th century, Western Sahara became a battleground among European powers. In 1887, Spain declared Rio de Oro a sphere of its interests. According to agreements with France in 1904 and 1912, Spain annexed the territory of Segiet el-Hamra (Spanish Sahara) to its possessions. Since 1958 - an "African province" of Spain.

Western Sahara has rich natural resources. Leading among them are high-quality phosphates (about XU of the world's explored reserves of this raw material). Promising deposits of uranium, iron and copper ores, mercury, and potassium salts have also been discovered. The coastal waters are abundant in fish. Nomadic livestock farming is well developed.

Local nomadic tribes have long fought against Spanish colonizers. In 1973, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Segiet el-Hamra and Rio de Oro (POLISARIO Front, Secretary-General - M. Abdelaziz) was created, which began military operations against Spanish troops.

The issue of eliminating the colonial regime in Western Sahara has been repeatedly discussed in the UN since 1966, with resolutions calling on Spain to hold a referendum to allow the population of Western Sahara to freely exercise their right to self-determination. According to an agreement signed in Madrid on November 14, 1975, Spain announced the transfer of its colonial possession to the temporary administrative control of the authorities of Morocco and Mauritania starting in February 1976. For the "reintegration of the Sahara," the King of Morocco organized the so-called "Green March" in November 1975, during which 350,000 people were sent to these territories. The POLISARIO Front launched active military actions against Moroccan and Mauritanian troops. Part of the civilian population of Western Sahara (about 120,000) settled in refugee camps in Algeria (in the Tindouf area). Algeria supported the creation of an independent state.

On November 27, 1976 - the day before the final cessation of Spanish presence in Western Sahara - the POLISARIO Front proclaimed the establishment of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR).

According to the constitution of the SADR, adopted in August 1976, the structure of its bodies is closely intertwined with the structure of the Front. The highest political body is the executive committee of the POLISARIO Front, the highest state body is the Council of Revolutionary Command, and the highest legislative body is the Sahrawi National Council (established in August 1976). The head of state is the president (M. Abdelaziz), who is also the chairman of the Council of Revolutionary Command. The Prime Minister is A. Taleb Omar. All refugees are considered members of the Front.

Under the leadership of the Front, the General Union of Workers of Segiet el-Hamra and Rio de Oro (trade unions) was created and is functioning.

In 1984, the SADR was admitted to the UAE (since 2002 - the AU), recognized by 79 states. About 30 of them later withdrew their recognition or "froze" relations.

In 1979, Mauritania renounced its claims to Western Sahara. After that, Morocco occupied the part of Western Sahara that was previously controlled by Mauritania. The construction of a "defensive wall" by Moroccans in Western Sahara (over 2,500 km) from 1981 to 1987 led to a significant reduction in the activity of POLISARIO Front units. At the same time, Morocco took measures for the socio-economic development of Western Sahara, building roads, housing, schools, and hospitals there.

Starting in 1983, UN General Assembly sessions regularly adopted resolutions calling on Morocco and the POLISARIO Front to "engage in direct negotiations to create the necessary conditions for holding a peaceful referendum on the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara under the auspices of the UN and the AU." In August 1988, Morocco and the POLISARIO Front tentatively approved UN proposals for resolving the Western Sahara issue, which included a ceasefire, organization of a referendum under international control, appointment of a special representative of the UN Secretary-General, and creation of a commission for voter registration based on the study and updating of census data conducted by the Spaniards in 1974 (at that time, the population of Western Sahara was about 75,000).

On April 27, 1991, the UN Security Council adopted resolution 690, which defined the beginning of a series of measures for holding a referendum in Western Sahara. The UN peace plan provided, among other things, for a ceasefire under the control of UN military personnel, exchange of prisoners of war under the auspices of the Red Cross, and reduction and placement of troops from both sides in designated areas as directed by the special representative. At the 45th session of the UN General Assembly, the budget for the UN Mission for the Organization of the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) was approved.

On September 6, 1991, the ceasefire agreement in Western Sahara came into effect, which is still being observed. However, the process of preparing for the referendum and identifying its potential participants has not significantly advanced, primarily due to disagreements between the parties regarding the criteria for registering this category of individuals. In June-September 1997, former personal envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Western Sahara, J. Baker, organized direct negotiations in London, Lisbon, and Houston between delegations from Morocco and POLISARIO with the participation of Algeria and Mauritania. A set of practical measures was agreed upon to resume the identification of voting participants. The identification process was completed at the end of 1999.

In January 2003, J. Baker presented Morocco and the POLISARIO Front (as the parties to the dispute), as well as Algeria and Mauritania (neighboring countries), with a draft "Peace Plan for the Self-Determination of the People of Western Sahara." Algeria and the POLISARIO Front supported Baker's initiative.

Morocco reacted negatively to the content of this plan. On July 31, 2003, the UN Security Council adopted resolution 1495 supporting Baker's plan as the "optimal political solution based on agreement between the two parties." Subsequently, this wording was reproduced in UN Security Council resolution 1541 of April 29, 2004.

On August 8, 2003, A. De Soto was appointed as the new special representative of the UN Secretary-General for Western Sahara, who held both positions - personal envoy of the Secretary-General and head of the UN mission (until May 2005) after Baker's resignation (June 2004). On October 28, 2005, UN Security Council resolution 1634 was unanimously adopted. The mandate of MINURSO was extended for another 6-month period - until April 30, 2006. In July 2005, a new personal envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Western Sahara, P. Van Walsum, was appointed, and in August 2005, a new special representative of the UN Secretary-General for Western Sahara, F. Bastagli.

From 1995 to August 2005, the POLISARIO Front unilaterally released all Moroccan prisoners of war - 2,249 people.

The POLISARIO Front presents its "humanitarian account" to Rabat: they claim that there are 150 Western Saharan prisoners of war in Morocco, as well as about 500 detainees and missing persons.