HUNGARIAN PEACEKEEPERS HUNGARIAN PEACEKEEPERS IN AFRICAIN AFRICA

MINURSOMINURSO

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Geography, Climate

• Economy, Infrastructure

• Society, people

• History

• MINURSO

• Structure, Organisation

• Current situation – possible future

GEOGRAPHY - CLIMATE

•Area- 266 000 km

•Desert, dry climate

•Scant vegetation, plain, low mountains

•Borders

• 400 km Morocco

• 42 km Algeria

•1560 km Mauritania

• 110 km shore of Atlantic Ocean

NOUADHIBOU

LAAYOUNE

MAURITMAURITAANIANIA

BOUJDOUR

DAKHLA

TINDOUF

MAURITMAURITAANIANIA

MAROKKÓ

BIR MOGHREIN

TARFAYA

ZOUERAT

ATLANTIATLANTICCOOCECEAANN

FORCE HQ

ALGALGEERIARIA

SMARA

Seguia El Hamra

Rio

del

Oro

GEOGRAPHY

ECONOMYECONOMY

• One of the poorest region in Africa

• Economical Centers

•LAAYOUNE, DAKHLA, SMARA

•PRODUCTION

•Limited agriculture

•No industry

•Phosphate mining

•Fishery

INFRASTRUCTUREINFRASTRUCTURE

• 4 Center• 3 Airport• 2 Port• 6000 km highway

– only 1400 km paved!• ( No railway)

LAAYOUNE

DAKHLA

BOUJDOUR

CRUDE OIL

PHOSPHATEFISHERY

SOCIETY

ATLANTIC

LAAYOUNE

DAKHLA

SMARA

BOUJDOUR

TINDOUF

POPULATION

• Laayoune

• Smara

• Dakhla

• Boujdour

• Nomads

• Refugees

180,000

50,000

36,000

14,000

10,000

155,000

POPULATIONPOPULATION

(Tindouf )

HISTORY I.HISTORY I.

• Spanish Colony (1884-1976)• 1965 DEC 14 : First UN resolution (Colony

Declaration)• 1973 MAY 10 : Formation of Frente Polisario• 1974 AUG 21: Spanish referendum plan - Census• 1974 DEC 16: Decision of the International Court of

Justice (Hague)• 1975 NOV 6-9 : „Green March”

26%

24%11%

7%

7%

5%

5%

6%3%5%1% Reguibat Sarg

Reguibat SzahelIzarguienOulad DelimOulad TidrarinAit LahsenArosienChorfacosteras y del surTribus del NorteResidentes en Sahara

Census in 1974:

HISTORY II.HISTORY II.

Total: 74 343

Census1974 Censuscheckedby IDC

1974 resultof Spanish census: 74343

1991 resultof checking: dead: 1489, counted twice: 484

1993 Approved list by UN:72,370

difference

examined

List of Census

2%

1%

97%

List of voters( 2003. December)

41,161

48%

6,866

8%

34,003

39%

4,395

5%

Total= 86,425

W. Sahara

Morocco

TindoufRefugge camps

Mauritania

HISTORY III.HISTORY III.• 1975 NOV 14 : Madrid Accord• 1976 FEBR 27 : Declaration the establishment of the

SADR• 1976 ÁPR : Morocco and Mauritania invade the

territory• 1979 AUG 05 : Peace agreement in Algiers (Polisario

and Mauritania)• 1980: „Strategy of walls” (BERM)• 1991 ÁPR 29 : Establish of MINURSO (SC resolution

690)• 1991 SZEPT 05 : Ceasefire

HISTORY IV.HISTORY IV.

• 1997 SZEPT : HOUSTON Agreement• 2000 ÁPR : I. BAKER PLAN (FRAMEWORK

AGREEMENT)• 2002: SETTLEMENT PLAN ( II. BAKER PLAN)• 2005: Reduction of MINURSO• 2006: „No war, No peace” situation

„„BERMBERM””

Berm

Berm

RESTRICTED ZONE30 km

CURRENT SITUATIONCURRENT SITUATION

RESTRICTED ZONE25 km

MINEFIELD5 km

AREA WITH LIMITED RESTRICTIONS

AREA WITH LIMITED RESTRICTIONS

IMPORTANCE WS

• NATO and EU interest in Afrika (Mediteran Dialogue, PfP, economic possibility)

• Terrorizm, radical islam, migration, smuggling• Former colonial powers connections and interest

(France and Spain)• Morocco, Mauritania, Algeria interest in the

conflict - ARAB MAGHREB UNION (AMU)• Hungarian interest in the area

MINURSO STRUCTUREMINURSO STRUCTURE

SRSGOFFICE

MILITARY OBSERVERS

POLICE UNIT

CIVILIANADMINISTRATION

UNHCR

DEPARTMENT OF IDENTIFICATION

MILITARY OBSERVERS

• Monitor the ceasefire• Monitor the confinement of Moroccan and Polisario

troops to designated locations (land and air patrols)• activities to reduce the risk of landmines and UXOs in

Western Sahara (search, marking safe tracks, destroy, Mine awareness training)

• Oversee the exchange of prisoners of war• Take steps with the parties to ensure the release of all

Western Saharan political prisoners or detainees!• Implement the repatriation programme

ACTIVITY OF MILITARY OBSERVERSACTIVITY OF MILITARY OBSERVERS

DAKHLA

OUMDREYGA

AWSARD

AGWANIT

MIJEK

SMARA

MEHAIRES

SMARA

TIFARITI

BIRLAHLOU

MAHBASTINDOUF LO

Area of responsibility: 266,000 Sq KmNS : 97 700 Sq KmSS : 159 5000 Sq Km

NS

SS

MAURITANIA

ALGERIA

HEADQUARTER

SECTOR HQ+ LO Tindouf

CAMPS

MAURITANIA

LAAYOUNEHQ

CAMP MEHAIRES - NORTH SECTOR

CURRENT SITUATIONCURRENT SITUATIONPOSSIBLE FUTUREPOSSIBLE FUTURE

• STATUS QUOSTATUS QUO – extend MINURSO mandate – extend MINURSO mandate time to timetime to time

• Referendum based on BAKER II. PLAN, Referendum based on BAKER II. PLAN, Western-Sahara become part of Morocco, Western-Sahara become part of Morocco, reduced Autonomyreduced Autonomy

• INDEPENDENCE?INDEPENDENCE? Divide WS (new idea)? Divide WS (new idea)?• High tension (POLISARIO) - open a war - defeatHigh tension (POLISARIO) - open a war - defeat

QUESTIONS?