Western Sahara
Disputed territory in North-western Africa
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We include updates on Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Bedouin, Almoravid dynasty, Laayoune, Arab migrations to the Maghreb, Algeria–Morocco relations, Tifariti, Saguia el-Hamra, Sahrawi refugee camps, Beni Ḥassān, La Güera, 27th parallel north, Río de Oro, Bir Lehlou, Greater Morocco, Guelmim-Oued Noun ... and more.
| December 15 2023 | The Polisario Front conducted a military operation in the Aousserd Province, launching four explosive projectiles near the region. The projectiles were dropped away from residential areas and did not result in any casualties. |
| May 9 2023 |
Western Sahara Autonomy Proposal
Cape Verde reaffirmed support for Morocco's territorial integrity and autonomy plan as a realistic solution to the Western Sahara regional conflict.
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| September 23 2022 |
Western Sahara Autonomy Proposal
Guatemala announced support for Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara and plans to open a consulate in Dakhla, indicating diplomatic backing for Morocco's position.
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| September 23 2022 |
Western Sahara Autonomy Proposal
Somalia's Foreign Minister Mahmoud Abdi Hassan reiterated support for Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara, following previous diplomatic actions.
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| March 22 2022 |
Western Sahara Autonomy Proposal
France reaffirmed its support for the Moroccan autonomy plan as a credible basis for resolving the Western Sahara territorial conflict.
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| March 19 2022 |
Western Sahara Autonomy Proposal
Spanish and Moroccan press suggested the president of the Spanish Government had provisionally accepted the autonomy proposal, though parliamentary ratification was not assured.
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| March 18 2022 |
Western Sahara Autonomy Proposal
Spain considers the Moroccan autonomy initiative as the most serious and realistic basis for resolving the Western Sahara dispute, supporting Morocco's proposed solution.
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| June 12 2021 |
William L. Swing
William Lacy Swing passed away on this date.
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| January 2021 | United States establishes a temporary consulate post in Dakhla as part of the Moroccan-Israeli normalization deal, with plans to establish a permanent consulate in the future. |
| 2020 |
Settlement Plan
The long-standing ceasefire was ended after Morocco launched a military operation near Guerguerat.
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| December 10 2020 |
Western Sahara Autonomy Proposal
US President Donald Trump recognized Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, marking a significant diplomatic shift in the region's long-standing territorial dispute.
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| December 10 2020 | The United States announced recognition of full Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, in exchange for Morocco normalizing relations with Israel and establishing potential diplomatic ties. |
| November 2020 | The ceasefire between the Polisario Front and Morocco broke down, resulting in armed clashes between both sides. |
| January 2020 | The Gambia and Guinea open consulates in Dakhla, while Gabon opens a consulate general in Laayoune, further supporting Morocco's territorial claims. |
| January 13 2020 |
Prime Minister of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
Bouchraya Hammoudi Bayoun assumed the role of Prime Minister of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, taking leadership of the government-in-exile based in Tindouf, Algeria.
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| 2019 |
William L. Swing
Awarded the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun by the government of Japan, a prestigious honor recognizing his contributions to international relations.
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| December 18 2019 | Comoros becomes the first nation to open a consulate in Laayoune, showing support for Moroccan claims to Western Sahara. |
| December 5 2018 | UN-sponsored peace talks were held in Geneva between Morocco and Polisario, the first in six years, with both sides agreeing to meet again. |
| October 1 2018 |
William L. Swing
Swing was succeeded as Director-General of IOM by Portuguese politician Antonio Vitorino.
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| September 2018 |
William L. Swing
Swing's term as Director-General of the International Organization for Migration ended.
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| 2017 |
William L. Swing
UN Secretary-General António Guterres appointed Swing to the 9-member High-Level Task Force to Improve the United Nations Approach for Preventing and Addressing Sexual Abuse.
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| 2017 | Mohamed Ennajem Abhai succeeded Mohamed Benribak as the governor of the Guelmim-Oued Noun region. |
| 2017 | Morocco is readmitted to the African Union after promising to resolve conflicting claims peacefully and stop building border walls. |
| 2016 | The European Union declared that 'Western Sahara is not part of Moroccan territory'. |
| March 2016 | Morocco expelled more than 70 U.N. civilian staffers with MINURSO after Ban Ki-moon called Morocco's annexation of Western Sahara an 'occupation'. |
| October 13 2015 | Mohamed Benribak was appointed as the governor (wali) of the Guelmim-Oued Noun region. |
| September 2015 | Guelmim-Oued Noun administrative region was created through the merger of Sidi Ifni Province (previously part of Souss-Massa-Drâa region) with three provinces from the former Guelmim-Es Semara region, establishing a new administrative configuration in Morocco. |
| September 14 2015 | Abderrahim Ben Bouaida was elected as the first president of the Guelmim-Oued Noun regional council, representing the National Rally of Independents (RNI). |
| 2014 | Moroccan census recorded the population of Guelmim-Oued Noun region as 433,757 inhabitants, providing a demographic snapshot of the region. |
| December 2014 | Seabird Exploration conducted controversial seismic surveys offshore Western Sahara, which were considered a violation of the 2002 Hans Corell legal opinion. |
| 2013 | FiSahara International Film Festival screened over 15 films from around the world, including comedies, short films, animations, and documentaries, with some films created by the refugees themselves. |
| 2012 |
William L. Swing
Received the American Foreign Service Association's Award for Lifetime Contributions to American Diplomacy, recognizing his significant diplomatic career and achievements.
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| 2011 | Spanish street artist MESA traveled to Sahrawi refugee camps and displayed graffiti art throughout the landscape, using destroyed walls as his canvases and inspiring local artists to express their national struggle through art. |
| 2011 | Spanish street artist MESA traveled to the Sahrawi refugee camps and displayed graffiti art on destroyed walls, introducing a new form of artistic expression and inspiring local Sahrawi artists like Mohamed Sayad. |
| 2010 |
Western Sahara Autonomy Proposal
54 US Senators signed a letter to Secretary of State Clinton supporting the Moroccan autonomy plan.
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| November 2010 | Moroccan security forces forcibly cleared the Gadaym Izik camp using helicopters and water cannons, leading to violent protests in Laayoune where protesters threw stones, set fires to tires and vehicles, and burned several buildings including a TV station. |
| November 15 2010 | The Moroccan government accused Algerian secret services of orchestrating the Gadaym Izik camp protest, and expelled or prevented foreign reporters from entering the area during UN negotiations. |
| October 2010 | Gadaym Izik camp was set up near Laayoune as a protest by displaced Sahrawi people about their living conditions, housing more than 12,000 people. |
| February 2010 | European Parliament's Legal Service published a previously confidential legal opinion stating that European vessel fishing in Western Sahara waters violated international law. |
This contents of the box above is based on material from the Wikipedia articles Western Sahara Autonomy Proposal, Guelmim-Oued Noun, Settlement Plan, Western Sahara, Prime Minister of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Dakhla-Oued Ed-Dahab, Geography of Western Sahara & William L. Swing, which are released under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.