Centrum Stosunków Międzynarodowych - 9 July 2016: Morocco can be a next battlefield in Middle East

On 9th of July 2016 elections in Western Sahara took place. Elections were in Algerian territory in Sahrawi refugee camp. The new president of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) became Brahim Ghali. Ghali received 1766 from 1895 votes. Ghali was the founder of the Polisario movement in SADR, firstly it was a movement against Spain, after - against Morocco. In his first speech on the presidential post, he represented the program and the plan of actions. He insisted, that people are looking for a peaceful resolution of conflict, but all the time are ready to begin a resistance to the Moroccan regime.

The new government of Polisario front urged for the quicker implementation of referendum issue, which will determine the destiny of the SADR. The situation with referendum deteriorated in March, when Morocco officials expelled the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO). Last month, Moroccan government allowed the returning of 25 civilian staff to the SADR. Polisario wants to put 3 questions in the referendum: should SADR (or Western Sahara) be a part of Morocco, should it obtain the autonomy under Moroccan rule, or to become an independent state. As more Moroccan government will continue uncertainty in the case of SADR referendum, the more chances of conflict restart.

Polisario front was established on 10th May 1973 as a movement against the Spanish colonialism. After the withdrawal of Spain, Polisario declared the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic on 27th of February 1976 and started a war against Morocco and Mauritania for the returning of the control over the SADR lands. Mauritania withdrew forces in 1979 and recognized SADR. The tensions with Morocco are continuing until now.