◆Backgrounds
Mr. Brahim Ghali was born in 1949, in Smara, Western Sahara. He is one of the founding members of Polisario Front, established in 1973. He has played a major role in the war against Morocco. Then, he served as ambassador in Algeria and became president on the death of the former president in 2016.
At the Congress of Polisario Front, which is held every four years, there is the election to choose the General Secretary. The election is attended by representatives from each regions of the Sahrawi Refugee Camp as well as from occupied zone. As far as possible, the election is devised to reflect the consensus of the Sahrawi.
Sahara Arab Democratic Republic consist of cabinet, judicial branch and national council. RASD is linked to Polisario Front inextricably. The General Secretary automatically becomes President of RASD. Although Mr. Ghali had announced his intention not to stand for election in February 2023, there were a lot of voices promoting him. He decided to become a candidate again and was re-elected.
Finances of RASD are difficult, forcing them to rely on aid from assistant countries. But their diplomatic action is so active at UN, AU and each country. Representatives of RASD came to Japan to join TICAD7(Tokyo International Conference on African Development) in 2019.
*1
Cease-fire ends war in 1991. UN makes a peace plan including a referendum on independence. Both of Polisario Front and Morocco agreed with the plan. But the referendum has not yet been held. Morocco keeps military occupation.
*2
That partnership means TICAD(Tokyo International Conference on African Development). TICAD is an international conference cosponsored by Japan and AU. But Japan continues to ignore RASD. Japan did not send invitation for TICAD8 to RASD, for example.
Reference (in Spanish)
1. 55º país considerado como invisible
2. Participación del Sahara Occidental tambaleada por presión de Marruecos
3. Escuchamos al Sr. Ould Salek, ministro de asuntos exteriors
4. ¿Ha sido significativa la primera participación de la delegación del Sáhara Occidental?
*3
Morocco plunder the resources of Western Sahara and export to the world. Marine products, mineral, agricultural products, renewable energy and tourist resources. In Japan, especially, octopus from Western Sahara is consumed for long time.
Reference (in Spanish)
Cuestión del Sahara Occidental perseguida mediante al tema de pulpo – desde el mercado central de Tokyo a la ultima colonia en Africa –
