POLISARIO Front (in Spanish abbreviation: Frente Por la Liberacion de Saguia el Hamra y Rio de Oro- Front for the Liberation of Saguia el Hamra y Rio de Oro) was constituted by various Saharawi resistant groups in the 10th of May 1973 to lead the Saharawi people’s struggle against the Spanish colonialism.

It was constituted mainly by Saharawi students, but also members of previous political and resistant movements and groups, mainly Harakat Tahrir Sahra, which was violently oppressed by the Spanish army in 1970 in the occupied capital of Western Sahara, El Aaiun.

Polisario is an organization that represents all Saharawi people who embrace the principles of liberation and freedom from colonialism and foreign occupation. It cannot be considered as a political party since it gathers different political tendencies, while its main goal is the liberation of the occupied territories of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic through all legitimate means of struggle, including the armed resistance. The movement forms the Government of the Saharawi Republic, and its elected Secretary General is automatically the President of the Republic.

Polisario is leading the Saharawi legitimate struggle and representing the people’s will in its engagements with the United Nations, which recognizes it as the legitimate representative of the people of Western Sahara since the 1970s. It is therefore engaging with the UN as a party to the conflict opposing it to the Kingdom of Morocco.

The Front adopts policies that aims at achieving social justice, rule of law, equality of opportunities and enjoyment of the basic freedoms. It commits itself to defend the Saharawi people’s rights to freedom and independence and adopts internal democratic ways in electing the leadership of the movement and in adopting its decisions and programme.

Polisario operates on the basis of fundamental principles which are:

The People is the sole source of sovereignty and legitimacy.
The sanctity of the territorial integrity.
The struggle for freedom and independence to build the nation.
The protection of the values of the Saharawi people and national identity.
The respect of the fundamental rights enshrined in the SADR constitution.

As a liberation movement, Polisario Front struggles to:

Raise awareness about the Saharawi people’s legitimate struggle to build vibrant international support.
Strengthen the status of the Saharawi Republic as an irreversible fact decided by the people of Western Sahara as their independent State.
Support all just causes and the right of all peoples to self-determination and freedom.
Support the efforts and vision of the African Union aimed at achieving continental integration.
Participate to the realization of a Union in the Maghreb countries and play its due role in it.
Institute peace and security in the region and participate in the socio-economic development of African nation and the world on the basis of the respect of Law.

The Structure of the leadership of the movement:

The General Assembly (The National Congress)
The National Secretariat
The Secretary General
The Saharawi Popular Army of Liberation
The Organizational Secretariat
The Branches
The Cells

Mass Organisations: Workers Union (UGTSARIO), Women Union (UNMS), Youth Union (UJSARIO), and Students’ Union (UESARIO).