Mahfoud Ali Beiba
Encyclopedia
Mahfoud Laroussi Ali Beiba was a Sahrawi nationalist politician and co-founder of the Polisario Front
, an organisation that seeks independence
for Western Sahara
. From 1975 until his death, he lived in exile in the refugee camps of Tindouf
, Algeria
.
In 1974, he was elected as head of the Political Affairs Committee, during the II General Popular Congress of the POLISARIO.
Beiba briefly served as POLISARIO's Secretary-General, the movement's top post, starting on June 10, 1976. He had constitutionally succeeded the organization's first leader, El-Ouali Mustapha Sayed
, who had died in combat in Mauritania
the day before. After about two months, the III General Popular Congress (GPC) was convened, and in the elections Beiba was replaced by long-standing Sahrawi leader Mohamed Abdelaziz
, who was last re-elected in 2007.
Following his service as Secretary-General, Beiba held several high-ranking posts in the Polisario structure and as a minister of the exile government of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
(SADR), including as Prime Minister in 1982-85 and 1988-93. In 1995-99 he again served as Prime Minister but was forced out of office after the exile parliament, the Sahrawi National Council
, brought his government down with a vote of no confidence. He was replaced by Bouchraya Hammoudi Bayoun
, who appointed him to the post of minister for the occupied territories. From 2003, Beiba served as president and speaker of the SNC, and in this capacity he was also a member of Polisario's executive organ, the National Secretariat.
Since 1997, he had been the head of the Sahrawi delegations on the successive negotiations with Morocco.
On July 2, 2010, Beiba suffered a fatal heart attack at his home in the February 27th camp (Sahrawi refugee camps, Tindouf). The SADR presidency declared a week of national mourning in his memory.
On July 11, Beiba was replaced by Kathri Aduh as president of the SNC.
Polisario Front
The POLISARIO, Polisario Front, or Frente Polisario, from the Spanish abbreviation of Frente Popular de Liberación de Saguía el Hamra y Río de Oro is a Sahrawi rebel national liberation movement working for the independence of Western Sahara from Morocco...
, an organisation that seeks independence
Independence
Independence is a condition of a nation, country, or state in which its residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory....
for Western Sahara
Western Sahara
Western Sahara is a disputed territory in North Africa, bordered by Morocco to the north, Algeria to the northeast, Mauritania to the east and south, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. Its surface area amounts to . It is one of the most sparsely populated territories in the world, mainly...
. From 1975 until his death, he lived in exile in the refugee camps of Tindouf
Tindouf
Tindouf is the main town in Tindouf Province, Algeria, close to the Mauritanian and Moroccan borders. The region is considered of strategic significance, and it houses Algerian military bases. Since 1975, it also contains several Sahrawi refugee camps operated by the Polisario Front a guerrilla...
, Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
.
In 1974, he was elected as head of the Political Affairs Committee, during the II General Popular Congress of the POLISARIO.
Beiba briefly served as POLISARIO's Secretary-General, the movement's top post, starting on June 10, 1976. He had constitutionally succeeded the organization's first leader, El-Ouali Mustapha Sayed
El-Ouali Mustapha Sayed
El-Ouali Mustapha Sayed was a Sahrawi nationalist leader, co-founder and second Secretary-General of the Polisario Front, & also the first President of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic....
, who had died in combat in Mauritania
Mauritania
Mauritania is a country in the Maghreb and West Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean in the west, by Western Sahara in the north, by Algeria in the northeast, by Mali in the east and southeast, and by Senegal in the southwest...
the day before. After about two months, the III General Popular Congress (GPC) was convened, and in the elections Beiba was replaced by long-standing Sahrawi leader Mohamed Abdelaziz
Mohamed Abdelaziz
Mohamed Abdelaziz is the 3rd and current Secretary General of the Polisario Front and President of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic since 1976...
, who was last re-elected in 2007.
Following his service as Secretary-General, Beiba held several high-ranking posts in the Polisario structure and as a minister of the exile government of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic is a partially recognised state that claims sovereignty over the entire territory of Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony. SADR was proclaimed by the Polisario Front on February 27, 1976, in Bir Lehlu, Western Sahara. The SADR government controls about...
(SADR), including as Prime Minister in 1982-85 and 1988-93. In 1995-99 he again served as Prime Minister but was forced out of office after the exile parliament, the Sahrawi National Council
Sahrawi National Council
The Sahrawi National Council or simply National Council is the legislature of the government in exile of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. Its structure and competences are guided by the Constitution of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic...
, brought his government down with a vote of no confidence. He was replaced by Bouchraya Hammoudi Bayoun
Bouchraya Hammoudi Bayoun
Bouchraya Hammoudi Bayoun is the Polisario Front representative for Spain, with a base in Madrid. He had been Prime Minister of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic twice. He studied Economics at the University of Havana, Cuba...
, who appointed him to the post of minister for the occupied territories. From 2003, Beiba served as president and speaker of the SNC, and in this capacity he was also a member of Polisario's executive organ, the National Secretariat.
Since 1997, he had been the head of the Sahrawi delegations on the successive negotiations with Morocco.
On July 2, 2010, Beiba suffered a fatal heart attack at his home in the February 27th camp (Sahrawi refugee camps, Tindouf). The SADR presidency declared a week of national mourning in his memory.
On July 11, Beiba was replaced by Kathri Aduh as president of the SNC.