Page 31 - The Nile Explorer Magazine 011

Country Profile

The Saharawi City of Laayoune

Arab Democratic Republic occupies an area of approximately
103,000 square miles and is one of
(SADR) the most sparsely populated regions
in the world, with a population of
approximately 500,000 people of which
40% reside in the city of Laayoune.
he Saharawi Arab Democratic Organization of African Unity (OAU), Western Sahara, formerly the Spanish
TRepublic (SADR was proclaimed since 1984. Morocco withdrew from colony of Spanish Sahara is a disputed
by the Polisario on 27 February 1976, the OAU in protest, until rejoining territory claimed by both the Kingdom
in Bir Lehlu, Western Sahara. SADR in 2017. The SADR also participates of Morocco and the Popular Front
claims sovereignty over the entire as guest in meetings of the Non- for the Liberation of the Saguia el
territory of Western Sahara, a former Aligned Movement aka the Asian- Hamra and Rio de Oro ( Polisario
Spanish colony; however, currently, African Strategic Partnership despite Front), which is an independence
the SADR government controls only Morocco’s objections. movement based in Algeria. It is
about 20–25% of the territory it claims. While, the Arab League simply supports listed by the United Nations (UN) as a
It calls the territories under its control “Moroccan territorial integrity, it does non-decolonized territory and is thus
the “Liberated Territories”. so without specificity. And while no included in the United Nation list of
As of March 2020, the Sahrawi other country has ever recognized Non-Self-Governing Territories.
Arab Democratic Republic has been Morocco’s unilateral annexation of The president of Western Sahara is
recognized by 84 UN member states. Western Sahara, a number of countries Brahim Ghali, while Abdelkader
Of these, 44 have since “frozen” or have express support for a future status Taleb is the premier. The government
“withdrawn” recognition. SADR has, of Western Sahara as an autonomous consists of a council of minister led by
at some point in time, been recognized part of Morocco. the prime minister, a judiciary branch
by 43.5% of United Nations (UN) Until the year 2000, when it “withdraws” whose members are appointed by the
member states, 38 out of the other its recognition, India was the only president, and the parliament, which
54 (70%) African Union (AU) major middle power country to have is officially titled the Sahrawi National
member states, 18 out of 57 (32%) of ever recognized SADR, and even had Council. Since its establishment in
Organization of Islamic Cooperation allowed the Sahrawi Arab Democratic 1976, the government has evolved
(OIC) member states, and 5 out Republic to open an embassy in New from an ad hoc structure to a
of 22 (23%) the Arab League (AL) Delhi in 1985. Other middle power functional government. The ministries
member states. Several states that do countries that currently recognize the are headed by ministers and are fully
not recognize the Sahrawi Republic Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic functional.
nonetheless recognize the Polisario are Mexico, Algeria, Iran, Venezuela, In 1999, SADR adopted a constitution
Front as the legitimate representative Vietnam, Nigeria and South Africa.
of the population of the Western The territory is located in the Maghreb The war between Morocco
Sahara, but not as the government in- region of North Africa, bordered to and Polisario Front
exile of a sovereign state. the northeast by Algeria, east and continued until it reached a
The SADR has been a member of the south by Mauritania, and to the north stalemate in 1988.
African Union (AU), formerly the by Morocco proper. Western Sahara

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