Congress of the Polisario Front

The Congress of the Polisario Front (Arabic: مؤتمر جبهة البوليساريو, Spanish: Congreso del Frente Polisario) is the supreme decision-making body of the Polisario Front, with the power to decide on major tasks of the political, organizational, military, social, economic, diplomatic, media, cultural and other areas of the Front and the Sahrawi Republic.[1]

Congress of the Polisario Front

مؤتمر جبهة البوليساريو
Congreso del Frente Polisario
Type
Type
History
Founded29 April 1973 (1973-04-29)
Structure
SeatsVaries by Congress
Length of term
3 years, extensible to four
AuthorityPolisario Front
Elections
First election
10 May 1973 (1st)
Last election
13–22 January 2023 (16th)
Next election
By 2026 (17th)
Rules
Basic Law of the Polisario Front

The Congress is held every three years, with the National Secretariat of the Polisario Front being able to postpone it for a year. Participants in the Congress include elected activists, members of the National Secretariat and government, ambassadors, local political officials, members of the General Staff of the Sahrawi People's Liberation Army, delegates elected from every military region, representatives of mass and student organizations, heads of the municipalities and delegates representing the Sahrawi community abroad.[1]

Congresses evaluate the phase between two congresses, decide a program of national action, review the provisions of the Basic Law of the Polisario Front and Constitution of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, elect both the Secretary-General for the Polisario Front and the members of National Secretariat, which is the leadership body capable of taking major decisions on behalf of the Polisario Front between congresses.[1]

Convocations

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16 ordinary and one extraordinary congresses have been held so far.[2]

Congress Named after the martyr Duration
(start—end)
Elected Location
Secretary-General
1st Congress Mohamed Sidi Brahim Bassir 29 April – 1 May 1973 Brahim Ghali   Zouérat
2nd Congress Abderrahman Abdelahe 25 – 31 August 1974 El Wali Mustafa Sayed
3rd Congress El Wali Mustafa Sayed 25 – 28 August 1976 Mohamed Abdelaziz
4th Congress Sid Haydug 25 – 30 September 1978
5th Congress Bachir Saleh 12 – 16 October 1982
6th Congress Mohamed Lamin Abba Chej 7 – 10 December 1985
7th Congress Sidi Azman 28 April – 1 May 1989
8th Congress Bulahe Taleb Omar 17 – 19 June 1991
9th Congress Chej Bachri Hamadi 19 – 26 August 1995
10th Congress Ahmed Salem Mohamed Embarek 26 August – 4 September 1999
11th Congress Emborik Labeid Brahim Al Abd 12 – 19 October 2003
12th Congress Mesaud Embarek Ahmed Lehsan 14 – 20 December 2007   Tifariti
13th Congress Mahafud Ali Beiba 15 – 22 December 2011   Tifariti
14th Congress Jalil Sidi Emhamed 16 – 20 December 2015   Dajla camp
Extraordinary Congress Mohamed Abdelaziz 8 – 9 July 2016 Brahim Ghali   Dajla camp
15th Congress Bujari Ahmed Barikal-la 19 – 23 December 2019   Tifariti
16th Congress M'hamed Jaddad 13 – 22 January 2023   Dajla camp

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Polisario 13th Congress to open tomorrow in the liberated Tifariti amid distinct foreign participation". 14 December 2011. Retrieved 4 November 2023 – via Sahara Press Service.
  2. ^ Garrido, Ana; Gómez, Enrique (31 October 2023). "El Frente Polisario" [The Polisario Front]. saharaoccidental.es (in Spanish). Una mirada al Sáhara Occidental. Retrieved 4 November 2023.