Politics of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic

The politics of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic take place in a framework of an area disputed and claimed by Morocco, and the Polisario Front's proclaimed republic in exile, the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.

Colonized by Spain from 1884 to 1975, as Spanish Sahara, and after the tripartite agreement, known as the Madrid Accords, the territory was partitioned between Morocco and Mauritania in 1976, with Morocco acquiring northern two-thirds. Mauritania, under pressure from Polisario guerrillas, abandoned all claims to its portion in August 1979, with Morocco moving to take control of that sector shortly thereafter and has since asserted administrative control over the majority of the territory. The Polisario front's SADR claims to administer a portion to the east of the Moroccan defence wall. The Polisario's government-in-exile was seated as member of the Organisation of African Unity in 1984, and was a founding member of the African UnionFact|date=June 2007. Guerrilla activities continued until a United Nations-monitored cease-fire was implemented September 6, 1991 via the mission MINURSO. The mission patrols the separation line between the two territories (maps: [http://www.un.org/Depts/Cartographic/map/dpko/minurso.pdf] , [http://www.sahara-occidental.com/images/cartes/cartesop.gif] , [http://www.cidi.nl/img/isnbr/2004-nb1.jpg] ).

In 2001, The UN's envoy to the territory, James Baker, presented a third way option to solve the conflict, known as the Framework Agreement or Baker plan I, consisting in a devolution of the Moroccan state of many of its prerogatives to an autonomous Western Sahara within Moroccan sovereignty. Morocco accepted the plan, while Algeria and the Polisario Front rejected it. Algeria proposed a partition of the territory instead [http://daccessdds.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N02/255/42/IMG/N0225542.pdf?OpenElement] .

In 2003, James Baker, presented the Baker Plan II, which would have given Western Sahara immediate autonomy as the Western Sahara Authority during a five-year transition period to prepare for a referendum, offering the inhabitants of the territory a choice between independence, autonomy within the Kingdom of Morocco, or complete integration with Morocco. Polisario has accepted the plan, but Morocco has rejected it.

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The Sahrawi population in the refugee camps in Algeria as well as in the Free Zone participates in elections to the institutions of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. The most recent election for the Sahrawi National Council took place between 17 February and 19 February 2008. A referendum on independence or integration with Morocco was agreed upon by Morocco and the Sahrawi republic in 1991, but did not take place due to the parties' divergence on who should be allowed to vote.

ee also

*Foreign relations of Morocco#Western Sahara
*Legal status of Western Sahara