istory| Detailed Chronology
  • c. 1000  BC Beginning of Sanhaja Berber migrations into Western Sahara
  • c. AD 50  Arrival of the camel from the east
  • c. 700-900 Zenata berbers assume control of the north-western fringes of the Sahara
  • c. 1039 Abdallah Ibn Yacin arrives among the Gadala
  • c. 1040s Abdallah Ibn Yacin assembles nucleus of Almoravids
  • 1062-76 Abubakr Ibn Omar leads Sanhaja in war against Soninke Kingdom of Ghana
  • 1069 Yusuf Ibn Tashfin lands in Spain and decimates Castilian army
  • 1110 All Muslim Spain is united under Almoravids' rule
  • 1346 Jaime Ferrer sails past Boujdour but never returns

    I. EXPEDITIONS TO WESTERN SAHARA AND INTERNATIONAL TREATIES

  • 15th CENTURY Portugal and other countries were interested in the region: gold trade, ostrich feathers and gum arabic.
  • END OF 15th AND 16th CENTURIES First raiding expeditions by Spaniards to the coast of W.S..
  • 1572 . Canarian expeditions into the interior of Saguia el Hamra.
  • 1638 .The Dutch seized the Island of Arguin , which the English temporarily controlled in 1665.
  • 1727 .By the Treaty of Hague, The Dutch ceded Arguin to France.
  • 1727 .Marrakesh Treaty: A treaty signed between Spain and Sultan Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdallah of Morocco.
  • 1799 .Meknes Treaty: A treaty signed between Spain and Sultan Sidi Moulay Souleiman of Morocco.



    II. SPANISH COLONISATION
    1884/85. The European powers assembled at the Berlin Conference to divide Africa. Western Sahara was placed under the "protection of Spain".

  • Nov. 1884 : The Spanish army, led by captain Emilio Bonelli Hernando, occupied Dajhla (ex Villa Cisneros) and set up a trading post..
  • Dec. 1884 : The Spanish Government announced, by royal decree, its intention to take possession of Western Sahara.
  • 1895:Anglo-Moroccan Agreement (March 13) leads to Tarfaya being handed over to Morocco for 50,000 pounds.
  • 1899: Battles at Daora between Saharawi tribesmen and Moroccan troops.
  • 1900: Franco-Spanish Convention defines the southern border of Spain's Saharawi colony (June 27).
  • Nov. 27 1912: Spanish-French Convention demarcated the borders of W.S.
  • 1923 - 1934: Bloody clashes between the French army and the Saharawi Resistance.
  • 1934: Final "Pacification" of the interior of Western Sahara . Spain took full possession of the northern part of the territory. The Saharawi Resistance was stamped out.
  • 1949-1959: Manuel Alia Medina, a Spanish geological engineer, discovered phosphates in Bucraa. The discovery reveals one of the biggest high grade phophate deposits in the world. The reserves of this zone were estimated to be more than 10 million tons and 70 to 80% pure.
  • 1956-1958: Riots and bloody battles between the Spanish Troops and the Saharawi resistance.
  • Feb. 10 1958: Military treaty signed between Spain and France, with the approval of the Moroccan regime. Through the Ecouvillon Operation, the Saharawi liberation army was destroyed. The Spanish Sahara and the near French possessions had to be saved at any price.
  • April 1 1958: Cintra Agreements (Portugal): whereby Saguia el Hamra and Rio de Oro came under the authority of Spain. Spain ceded Tarfaya to Morocco.
  • Dec. 14th 1960: The United Nations adopted the resolution 1514 (XV) in a Declaration granting independence to colonialized countries and peoples.
  • 1961: Western Sahara was declared a "Spanish province".
  • 1963: The U.N. included Western Sahara in the list of countries to be decolonized.
  • Dec. 1965: The U.N. General Assembly reaffirmed the inalienable right of self-determination by the Saharawi people and requested Spain to end its colonial rule.

    1966

  • The U.N. ratified the inalienable right of the Saharawi people to self-determination.
  • Morocco and Mauritania support the right of the people of Western Sahara to self-determination and independence at meeting of the UN Special Committee on Decolonization (June); the OAU Council of Ministers adopts its first resolution on Western Sahara, calling for the "freedom and independence" of Western Sahara (October-November); for the first time the UN General Assembly adopts a resolution calling for self-determination to be exercised through a referendum

    1967

  • Mohamed Sidi Brahim Bassiri returns to the territory and starts organizing the anticolonial movement that came to be known as "Harakat Tahrir Saguia El Hamra wa Uad Ed-Dahab" or (Organization for the Liberation of Saguia El Hamra y Rio de Oro).

    1968

  • Rebirth of the Sahrawi resistance movement with the formation of Liberation Movement for Saguia el Hamra y Rio de Oro under the leadership of Sidi Brahim Bassiri.

    • 1970

  • June 17: Bassiri's movement organized a large, peaceful manifestation at Zemla (El Aaiun), demanding the right to independence. It ended with the massacre of civilians and the arrest of hundreds of citizens.

    1973

  • The Djemaa requests from Franco to allow it greater participation in the territory's administration (Feb 20)
  • Foundation of Polisario Front (May 10th) ,independence movement which begins armed struggle against Spain
  • First Polisario attack on a Spanish post El-Khanga (May 20th)

  • Spain begins phosphate exports (May).
  • Houari Boumedienne, Hassan II and Mokhtar Ould Daddah call for self-determination to be exercised in Western Sahara in line with UN resolutions at a summit conference in Agadir , Morocco (July 23-24)

  • Franco replies to Djemaa's request, promising to introduce internal self-government (Sept. 21)

    • 1974

  • Spanish and Polisario forces clash at Galb Lahmar (January 26) and Aoukeyra (March 13)
  • Coup in Portugal (April 25) Spain accelerates its plans for internal self-government; General Federico Gomez de Salazar is appointed governor-general of the territory
  • The Spanish government formally announces plans for internal autonomy (July 4)
  • Hassan II protests to Franco about these plans (July 4)
  • The Djemaa approves Madrid's ESTATUTO POLITICO on internal autonomy (July 4-6) but is not implemented; Hassan launches major diplomatic campaign to lobby for support for Moroccan claim, sending political leaders of the Istiglal Party, the USFP, to world capitals (July 16)
  • Algeria begins for first time to give some low-key support to Polisario Front (July)
  • Ahmed Osman and Ahmed Laraki (Hassan's emissaries) fail to persuade the Spanish government to drop plans for internal autonomy during talks in Madrid (August 13); Hassan says that he cannot accept a referendum that includes the option of independence and warns that Morocco will go to war to annex Western Sahara if diplomatic means fail (Aug 20)

    •
  • Spain announces plan to hold a referendum in the first six months of 1975 (Aug 21)
  • Polisario Front holds its second congress (Aug 25-31)
  • Hassan proposes submitting Western Sahara dispute to the ICJ (International Court of Justice)

    • (Sept 17)

  • Ahmed Laraki, in a speech to the UN General Assembly, offers Mauritania a deal over the future of the territory (Sept 30)

    •
  • Polisario supporters sabotage two control stations of Fosbucraa (phosphate) conveyor belt

    • (October 20)

  • UN General Assembly adopts a resolution requesting an advisory opinion from the ICJ and requests from Spain to postpone its planned referendum (Dec 13)

    1975

  • Phosphate exports reached 2.4 million tons during the year, making Western Sahara the sixth major phosphate exporter in the world
  • Spain announces a postponement of the referendum (January 16)
  • Algerian foreign minister, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, contests the Moroccan claim at a meeting of Arab League foreign ministers (April 21-27)
  • Two units of Tropas Nomadas mutiny, take 15 Spanish officers and soldiers prisoner and join the Polisario Front with their arms and equipment (May 10 and 11)
  • A UN visiting mission tours the country, witnessing unprecedented pro-Polisario demonstrations (May 12-19) and later reporting that the overwhelming majority of Saharawis want independence and reject the territorial claims of Morocco and Mauritania
  • Polisario guerrillas seize the commander of Spanish forces in Guelta Zemmur (May 14)
  • Algerian President, Houari Boumedienne upholds the right of the Saharawi people to self-determination (June 19)
  • The ICJ holds its sessions in The Hague on the Western Sahara problem (June 25-July 30)
  • Abdelaziz Bouteflika negotiates with Hassan II over Western Sahara in Rabat (July 1-4)
  • The Spanish foreign minister, Pedro Cortina y Mauri, meets El-Ouali Mustapha Sayed in Algiers agreeing to hand power progressively to the Polisario Front in return for major concessions to Spain over phosphates and fisheries, and the Polisario releases 13 Spanish prisoners (Sept 9)
  • Spanish troops are withdrawn from several small outlying posts (October)
  • Many of the Chioukh in the Djemaa declare their support for the Polisario Front at a conference at Ain Ben Tili (October 12)
  • International Court of Justice declares that the people of Western Sahara have the right to self-determination (October 16)
  • Hassan responds by announcing the "Green March" (October 16)
  • Franco begins his long final illness (October 17)
  • Spain calls for an urgent meeting of the Security Council (October 18)
  • The UN Security Council meets and asks Kurt Waldheim to consult all interested parties (October 20 and 22)
  • Gomez de Salazar and El-Ouali Mustapha Sayed hold talks in Mahbes on the transfer of powers to Polisario Front, and Polisario leaders are given authority to enter El Aaiún (October 22)
  • Kurt Waldheim visits Spain, Morocco, Mauritania and Algeria, discussing the possibility of transferring administration of Western Sahara temporarily to the UN (October 25-28)
  • 12,000 Saharawis demonstrate in support of Polisario in El Ayoun (October 26-27)
  • Ahmed Laraki and the Mauritanian foreign minister, Hamdi Ould Mouknas, hold talks with Spanish officials in Madrid (October 28-30)
  • An Algerian minister, Mohamed Benahmed Abdelghani, arrives in Madrid to warn Spain against making a trilateral agreement with Morocco and Mauritania (October 29)
  • As Franco's condition deteriorates, Prince Juan Carlos becomes acting head of state in Spain (October 30)
  • The Moroccan army crosses Western Sahara border, clashing with Polisario Front as it tries to occupy Farsia, Haousa and Jdiriya (October 31)
  • Juan Carlos flies to El Aaiún to bolster the sagging morale of Spanish officers (Nov. 2)
  • The Spanish authorities lainch Operation Golondrina, a compulsory evacuation program for Spanish civilians (Nov. 3)
  • King Hassan of Morocco orders 350,000 volunteers to cross into the territory--the "Green March" and is deplored by the UN Security Council (Nov 6)
  • Houari Boumedienne meets Mokhtar Ould Daddah at Bechar (Algeria) and threatens dire consequences for Mauritania if he partitions Western Sahara with Morocco (Nov. 10)
  • Negotiations open in Madrid between Spanish, Moroccan and Mauritanian officials (Nov. 12), culminating in the signing of Madrid Agreement (Nov. 14)
  • Franco dies (Nov. 20)
  • A transitional tripartite administration, headed by the Spanish governor-general, is set-up, following the arrival in El Aaiún of a Moroccan deputy governor, Ahmed Bensouda, (Nov.25) and a Mauritanian deputy governor, Abdellahi Ould Cheikh, (Nov. 27); Morroccan troops enter Smara (Nov. 27)
  • 67 of the 102 members of the Djemaa sign the Proclamation of Guelta Zemmur, declaring the assembly's dissolution and the creation of a pro-Polisario Provisional Saharawi national Council (Nov. 28)
  • Saharawi refugees begin to leave the cities (November-February), many settling in the desert hinterland but all eventually arriving in Algeria
  • The UN General Assembly adopts two resolutions advocating UN involvement in an act of self-determination (December 10)
  • Moroccan troops arrive in El Aaiún (December 11)
  • Mauritanian troops occupy Tichla and La Guera (December 20)

    •  

    1976

  • Moroccan aviation forces bombard the camps in the desert causing hundreds of deaths and the exodus towards the Tindouf area begins.
  • Polisario Front attacks the Fosbucraa conveyor belt, forcing a halt to phosphate mining for several years (January)
  • Moroccan troops arrive in Dakhla (January 9)
  • Spanish troops are withdrawn from El Aaiún (January 9)
  • Mauritanian troops arrive in Dakhla and the last Spanish troops leave the territory , departing from Dakhla (January 12)
  • Spanish Foreign Minister, Areilza, communicates that Spain has not transferred to Morocco the sovereignty over the territory, it has only transferred its administration (February 14)
  • Spain officially terminates its administration in Western Sahara (February 26)
    the UN receives communication of the end of the Spanish presence in the Saharawi territory. From this moment on Western Sahara will form part, according to the United Nations, of the non-autonomous territories and Spain will be designated as administrative power "de jure" and not "de facto". For their part, Morocco and Mauritania (the latter until 1979) will be considered as invading powers
  • Polisario declares the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (February 27)
  • SADR's first government is announced (March 4)
  • Morocco and Mauritania partition Western Sahara (April 14)
  • Having completed the refugee evacuation, the Polisario Front begins offensive military actions, spreading the war beyond Western Sahara's borders into southern Morocco and, above all, Mauritania (May)
  • A column of Polisario guerrillas crosses 1,500 km of desert and shells Nouakchott, the Mauritanian capital (June 8), during clashes with Mauritanian forces El-Ouali Mustapha Sayed is killed (June 9)
  • Polisario holds its third congress, electing Mohamed Abdelaziz secretary general and adopting a constitution for the SADR (August 26-30)
  • France and Mauritania sign a military agreement (Sept 2)

    •  

    1977

  • Polisario starts attacks on Spanish fishing boats (April)
  • Polisario guerrillas raid Zouerate (Mauritania), killing two French citizens and taking six others captive (May 1)
  • Morocco and Mauritania sign a defense pact (May 13) under which 9,000 Moroccan troops arrive in Mauritania by mid-1978
  • Polisario shells Nouakchott for the second time (July 3)
  • Moroccan troops suffer heavy casualties at Oum Drouss (October 14)
  • Polisario captures two more French expatriates in Mauritania (October 25)
  • 200 French troops fly out to Dakar , Senegal (Nov 1-2) to prepare military aid to Ould Daddah regime;
  • Hassan II threatens hot pursuit strikes into Algeria (Nov 6)
  • Polisario boards the Saa, a Spanish fishing boat, and captures 3 Spanish fishermen (Nov 13)
  • French air-force Jaguar jets bomb and strafe Polisario guerrillas for the first time, near Boulanour, Mauritania (Dec. 2)
  • French Jaguars attack guerrillas again, near Choum, Mauritania, (December 14-15) and near Tmeimichatt, Mauritania (Dec 18)

    • 1978

  • Polisario guerrillas board a Spanish fishing boat, Las Palomas, and captures 8 of its crew (April 20)
  • French jaguars attack Polisario guerrillas again (May 4-5)
  • Ould Daddah is deposed in a coup in Nouakchott led by army officers who set up a Comite Militaire de Redressement National and pledge to restore peace (July 10)
  • Polisario declares a cease-fire in Mauritanian territory (July 12)
  • Spain's ruling Union de Centro Democratico recognizes the Polisario Front (October 12)

    •  

    1979

  • The Polisario Front announces the launching of the Houari Boumedienne offensive after the Algerian President's death on December 27, 1978 (January 4)
  • The guerrillas fight their way into Tan-Tan, southern Morocco (January 28)
  • Mauritania and Polisario Front hold talks in Tripoli (May 21-23)
  • Polisario guerrillas stage another attack in Tan-Tan (June 13)
  • Polisario rescinds its cease-fire with Mauritania and attacks Tichla (July 12)
  • The OAU summit in Monrovia approves the report submitted by the OAU ad hoc committee, proposing a cease-fire and a referendum (July 20)
  • Polisario and Mauritania sign the Algiers Agreement, by which Mauritania renounces its claim to Western Sahara and promises to withdraw completely within seven months (August 5)
  • Morocco annexes south after Mauritanians pull out (Aug 14)
  • Polisario Front overruns the Moroccan base of Lebouirate (August 14); the guerrillas fight their way into Smara (Oct. 6) and overrun a Moroccan base at Mahbes (October 14)
  • The UN General Assembly adopts a resolution urging Morocco to withdraw from Western Sahara and negotiate directly with the Polisario Front

    •  

    1981 Morocco begins building fortified wall.

    1982 OAU admits SADR as a full-fledged member

    1984 OAU adopts resolution of AHG104 that will be the base of UN Peace Plan calling for self-determination for the Saharawi people

    1988 Morocco and Polisario accept UN peace plan

    1990 UN Security Council resolutions 158/90 and 160/90 contain the Settlement Plan for Western Sahara, and referendum set for Jan 1992

    1991 Ceasefire begins, monitored by the UN

  • Morocco sends thousands of settlers to the territory and attempts to block the referendum process by forcing the UN to accept them as voters

    • 1992 Referendum delayed following disputes about who is eligible

    1994 Start of identification of voters, a process later stopped by Morocco

    1996 UN suspends registration of voters blaming both sides for problems.

    1997 Deadlock broken following talks in Houston (see Houston Agreement) chaired by James Baker, former US Secretary of State.

    1998 Referendum set for 7 December. Suspended after further disagreements

    1999 First voting lists published (more than 86 000 voters)

  • December - referendum on independence or integration into Morocco?

    • 2000 Failure of negociations between Polisario Front and Morocco in London and Berlin

    2001 Tension mounting in region. Referendum has been delayed 12 times

  • January - Rally Paris-Dakar increases tension in the region, SADR considers itself released from all ceasefire obligations
  • April - MINURSO mandate expires and is extended again until end of June
  • Morocco presents to the United Nations a new proposal (commonly known as "third option") on Western Sahara; the Moroccan project provides a «substantial devolution of authority» during a 10 years transitory period, during which the implementation of a self-determination referendum would be studied
  • The National Secretariat of the Polisario Front (SN), met in an ordinary session (May) chaired by its general secretary, Mohamed Abdelaziz. It reaffirmed that the conflict in Western Sahara cannot be resolved without respecting the right of the Saharawi people to self-determination.
  • Saharawi Special Envoy, Mr. Emhamed Khadad, handed over a letter from President Mohamed Abdelaziz to the UN SG, Mr. Koffi Annan. A release from the Sahara Press Service stated that Abdelaziz's letter reflected Polisario's propositions to help break the stalemate over the UN Peace Plan (June 4)
  • Saharawi Special Envoy, Mr. Emhamed Khaddad, handed over a letter from President Mohamed Abdelaziz to the UN SG, Mr. Koffi Annan. A release from the Sahara Press Service stated that Abdelaziz's letter reflected Polisario's propositions to help break the stalemate over the UN Peace Plan (June 4)
  • UN Secretary General Report S/2001/613 (June 20)
    The UN Secretary General has proposed UN to abandon the settlement plan by offering instead a "framework agreement" (a.k.a. the Moroccan proposal), denying the Saharawi people their inalienable right to self-determination.
  • UN Security Council approved a resolution extending the mandate of the UN Mission in Western Sahara by five months, until the end of November 2001 (June 29)
  • The OAU ministerial session firmly rejected - during the examination of 'other matters'- a request from the Senegalese foreign affairs minister backed by his counterparts from Gambia, Gabon, Burkina Faso, to register on the agenda of the OAU summit of Lusaka the question of Morocco admission to the African Union. (July 8)
  • The Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara, James Baker, met with representatives of the Polisario Front and the Governments of Algeria and Mauritania in Pinedale, Wyoming. Morocco was not asked to attend this round of talks. The proposals made by the Polisario Front to overcome the obstacles in the implementation of the settlement plan were fully considered. The proposed Framework on the status of Western Sahara was discussed. The Algerian delegation gave its views and objections on the Framework Agreement and promised to provide further clarifications. The Polisario Front expressed its objection to and reservations about the Framework Agreement, but indicated that it would consult its leadership and revert to the Personal Envoy. (27-29 Aug) Wyoming Meeting

    2002

  • 14 Mar 02: For the OAU, the question of Western Sahara remains a question of de-colonisation; says the OAU secretary general, Mr Amara Essy
  • On the eve of the UN Security Council resolution on Western Sahara, Morocco unleashes an intensive diplomatic campaign
  • 3 May 02: The president of the Spanish Government, Jose Maria Aznar, affirmed today that there are no reasons to change Spain's traditional position on Western Sahara, that maintains its support to the effective implementation of the UN settlement plan, which calls for a self-determination referendum.
  • 20 May 02: SADR and the Democratic Republic of East Timor establish diplomatic relations
  • 27 May 02: The Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) announces that it has signed a Technical Cooperation Agreement (TCA) with the British-Australian exploration company, Fusion Oil & Gas plc (Fusion), that will lead to a detailed assessment of the oil and gas potential of the offshore territorial waters of the state.
  • 22 Jul 02: Polisario Front writes a letter to the President of the Security Council in which it expresses its rejection to the "Draft framework agreement"
  • 27 May 02: The Rafto Foundation has decided to assign Thorolf Raftos memory award 2002 to Mohammed Daddach for his struggle for Human Rights and self-determination in Western Sahara
  • 6 Nov 02: In his first public dismissal of the UN Settlement Plan for Western Sahara, Morocco's King said it is "obsolete" and "inapplicable". Speaking on the 27th anniversary of the 'green march' *, Mohamed VI said the territory could be granted autonomy but should be part of Morocco, noting that France supports that solution. France, a staunch Moroccan protector, supports its claims on the territory.