13th Congress of the Polisario Front

13th Congress of the Polisario Front

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Secretary-General election
20 December 2011
Registered	2,095 Congressmembers
Turnout	77.42%
Candidate Mohamed Abdelaziz Electoral vote 1,551 Percentage 97.55%
Diagram showing how Congressmembers voted for the Secretary-General.
Secretary-General before election Mohamed Abdelaziz Polisario Front Secretary-General-elect Mohamed Abdelaziz Polisario Front

Politics of the SADR
Constitution Nationality law
Executive President Brahim Gali Prime Minister Bouchraya Hammoudi Bayoun
Legislature Sahrawi National Council President: Hamma Salama
Judiciary Constitutional Council Supreme Court Court of Appeal Judicial system
Politics Parties: Polisario Front
Administrative divisions Free Zones Municipalities Sahrawi refugee camps
Elections Recent elections Presidential: 2016 2019 2023 Legislative: 2016 2020 2023
Foreign relations International recognition Political status of Western Sahara Western Sahara conflict ICJ Advisory Opinion Diplomatic missions of / to the SADR Passport Visa requirements Visa policy
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The 13th Congress of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Saguia El Hamra and Río de Oro (Arabic: المؤتمر الثالث عشر للجبهة الشعبية لتحرير الساقية الحمراء ووادي الذهب, Spanish: XIII Congreso del Frente Popular para la Liberación de Saguia El Hamra y Río de Oro) was held in Tifariti between 15 and 22 December 2011 to renovate the governing bodies of the Polisario Front and establish the movement's main lines of action and strategy for the next leadership term.^[1]

The Congress was also used to elect a new Secretary-General for the Polisario Front, which would automatically become the President of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. Incumbent Mohamed Abdelaziz was easily re-elected for his 11th term.^[2]

The Congress' slogan is "The independent Sahrawi state is the solution" (Arabic: الدولة الصحراوية المستقلة هي الحل, Spanish: Un Estado saharaui independiente es la solución). The Congress was also named after Mahfoud Ali Beiba, a late former Sahrawi Prime Minister.^[3]

The Congress was held a year after the Gdeim Izik protest camp and amid the context of the Arab Spring and the instability in the Sahara region. The Congress was also marked by the kidnapping of two Spaniard and one Italian international cooperants from the Sahrawi refugee camps in October 2011, which led to increased security measures.^[4]

Several foreign political parties participated in the 13th Congress. The Congress included the participation of around 300 foreign participants. Some of the countries included are: Algeria, Mauritania, South Africa, Nigeria, Angola, Spain, Italy, Slovenia, Ukraine, Belgium, Hungary, Portugal, Cuba, Mexico, El Salvador, Colombia, Timor-Leste, Russia, Venezuela, Brazil; apart from unspecified delegations from Asia; the European Parliament and a Moroccan journalist.^[5]

Polls opened on 20 December 2011 at 18:30 PM local time. 17 offices were allocated for voting by the Election Committee, each with around 150 voters. Incumbent Mohamed Abdelaziz was the only candidate for Secretary-General.^[6]

Abdelaziz was re-elected as Secretary-General of the Polisario Front and President of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic for a three-year term. 1,622 Congressmembers out of 2,095 registered cast a vote; 1,590 votes were valid while 32 votes were considered invalid. Abdelaziz received 1,551 votes (98%). The Electoral Commission pointed out that the election process went smoothly, indicating that they recorded some minor problems such as “non-conformity” in the names of some voters in the lists, without significantly affecting the electoral process.^[2]