President of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic

Head of Sahrawi government in exile

President of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
Coat of arms of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
Incumbent Brahim Ghali since 12 July 2016
Residence	Sahrawi refugee camps, Tindouf, Algeria
Term length	No term limit
Inaugural holder	Mohamed Abdelaziz
Formation	August 1982

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
Other countries
v t e

The president of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic is the head of state of the partially recognized Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), a government in exile based in the Sahrawi refugee camps of Tindouf, Algeria.

From the declaration of independence on February 27, 1976, to August 1982, the head of state of the SADR was known as the chairman of the Revolutionary Council. The office of the president of the SADR was established in August 1982, after a change in the constitution made by the fifth general congress of the Polisario Front, where it was decided the post were to be held by the Secretary-General of the Polisario.^[1] The first President was Mohamed Abdelaziz from August 1982 until his death in 2016.^[2]^[3]

The powers of the presidency are extensive, and they have been subject to modification in various constitutional amendments, the last occurring in 1995.

Chairmen/Presidents of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (1976–present)

No.	Chairman/President	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Party	Ref.
1	Sayed, El-OualiEl-Ouali Mustapha Sayed (1949–1976) ^[a]	29 February 1976	9 June 1976 †	101 days	Polisario	—
–	Beiba, MahfoudMahfoud Ali Beiba (1952–2010) Acting	9 June 1976	30 August 1976	82 days	Polisario	—
2	Abdelaziz, MohamedMohamed Abdelaziz (1947–2016)	30 August 1976	31 May 2016 †	39 years, 275 days	Polisario	—
–	Addouh, KhatriKhatri Addouh (born 1954) Acting	31 May 2016	12 July 2016	42 days	Polisario	^[4]
3	Ghali, BrahimBrahim Ghali (born 1949)	12 July 2016	Incumbent	7 years, 322 days	Polisario	—

Timeline

Explanatory notes

^ Died in combat in Mauritania.

References

^ Zunes S; Mundy J (2010). Western Sahara: War, Nationalism, and Conflict Irresolution Syracuse University Press. Retrieved 3 August 2016.
^ Abd al-Aziz Muhammad In: Emmanuel Kwaku Akyeampong, Henry Louis Gates (eds.) Dictionary of African Biography, Volume 6, Oxford University Press, 2012. Retrieved 3 August 2016.
^ "Mort du chef du Polisario Mohamed Abdelaziz". 31 May 2016. Retrieved 3 August 2016.
^ "Death of Sahrawi President Mohamed Abdelaziz: Polisario Front declares 40-day mourning". Sahara Press Service. 31 May 2016. Retrieved 10 July 2016.

External links

President of the SADR photo gallery
World Statesmen – Western Sahara

Western Sahara articles

History

Before 1975	Colonial wars in Morocco Spanish Sahara (1884–1975) Colonial governors Spanish Morocco (1913–1956) High commissioners Moroccan Army of Liberation Ifni War (1957–1958)
1975	UN visiting mission (May) ICJ Advisory Opinion (October) Green March (November) Madrid Accords (November)
Since 1975	Western Sahara War (1975–1991) Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR, 1976–present) Berm (built 1981–1987) Settlement Plan (1991) UN referendum mission (MINURSO, 1991–present) Houston Agreement (1997) Baker Plan (2000/2003) UN Security Council Resolution 1495 (2003) / 1754 (2007) Manhasset negotiations (2007–2008)