International recognition of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic

Uncommon card · No. 177195

The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) was proclaimed by the Polisario Front on 27 February 1976, in Bir Lehlu, Western Sahara. SADR claims sovereignty over the entire territory of Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony; however, at present the SADR government controls approximately 20–25% of the territory it claims. It calls the territories under its control the Free Zone, while Morocco claims its territories as its "southern provinces". The SADR has been recognized by 84 United Nations (UN) member states, though several states have since "frozen" or "withdrawn" their recognition. Morocco has successfully lobbied states to withdraw and withhold their recognition of the SADR. The SADR has been a member of the African Union (AU), formerly the Organization of African Unity (OAU), since 1984. At the time, Morocco withdrew from the OAU in protest, until 2017, when Morocco again joined the African Union. The UN recognizes the Polisario Front as the legitimate representative of the Sahrawi...

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