General information
Current Name: Government of Morocco
Current Name full English: Government of Morocco
Current Name full native language: n/a
Original Name: Government of Morocco
Original Name full English: Government of Morocco
Original Name full native language: n/a
Actor Chronology
This section contains information about (if applicable) group splinters, name changes, and alliances according to the UCDP definitions of these concepts.
UCDP has not recorded any Chronology Activities involving this group.
Conflict issues
Government of Morocco - POLISARIO
Conflict Goal Issues: POLISARIO (Popular Front for the Liberation of Saguia el Hamra and Rio de Oro: Frente popular de liberación de Saguia el Hamra y Rio de Oro) was a rebel group that sought independence for Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), also known as Western Sahara, territory then controlled by Mauritania and Morocco. The group was formed in 1973 by ethnic Saharawi, with the group claiming to be “the only legitimate representative of the Saharawi people”. POLISARIO was ideologically SADR nationalist but also had Islamic and socialist beliefs. The first stated conflict goal issue located by the project was for autonomy, expressed in the founding congress in 1973. The POLISARIO claimed their armed struggle to be “the means by which the Saharawi people can recover its total liberty and foil the manoeuvres of Spanish colonialism”. The somewhat vague notion of total liberty would gradually evolve into something more specific, with the POLISARIO declaring the following year that the Saharawi people sought independence for their land. Yet larger changes to their platform occurred in August 1976 and National General Program, after SADR had been proclaimed as a country in February the same year, with many more issues being added to the group’s list of goals. Generally, the group focused on independence, establishing a democracy, and establishing an Islamic state, as well as a host of other issues ranging from civil and religious rights to economic reforms that were comparatively smaller in scope. Based on the coded issues, independence was the POLISARIO’s main conflict goal issue as it was raised far more frequently than any other issue and is also one of the issues raised over the longest timespan by the group, being a core issue since very early on. It was, as the group explained in 1989, “Our unnegotiable objective […]”.
Conflict Dynamics Issues: The first coded conflict dynamics issue was raised 1974, a year before Spain relinquished its colonial control over the territory. The POLISARIO condemned failure of the Arab nations, especially those of the Maghreb and even more so Morocco in particular, to speak out against “the acts of colonialist Spain and its savage repression of the people”. Many more conflict dynamics issues were added in the years that followed. POLISARIO raised issues of collective targeting based upon ethnic identity, demanding the withdrawal of what was perceived as foreign military forces and for foreign forces to, in general, not interfere with the conflict, stating that “we are afraid that the conflict may be internationalized. Polisario’s policy was, is, and shall be an independent policy”. Despite this, the group did also simultaneously call on foreign or international support on several occasions, often in the context of recognition of national sovereignty or as providing security through peacekeeping or monitoring. Among the coded conflict dynamics issues, the POLISARIO appeared to focus primarily on decreasing foreign involvement through the withdrawal of foreign forces. They viewed Moroccan presence as an occupying force and saw the removal of troops as a necessary condition to enable a referendum to be held.
Conflict Resolution Issues: The earliest conflict resolution issue located by the project date back to 1978 with POLISARIO requesting that mediation should be handled by the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), not by France or Saudi Arabia. POLISARIO representative Omar Hadrami stated on the issue “Neither France nor Saudi Arabia are African countries and neither can substitute for the African continent”. While it should be noted that there is a low overall number of coded issues for this category, the POLISARIO were generally consistent in pursuing negotiations but raised few other issues besides that. While briefly adopting a hard line, stating to Reuters in 1982 that “We are no longer asking Morocco to discuss anything”, the group did call for negotiations again only a few years later. Due to the low number of coded conflict resolution issues, no main issues could be located for this category.
Type of conflict issues: Conflict Goal Issues: Autonomy, Basic needs, Change economic system, Change judicial system, Civil rights, Confederation/union, CPS: Democracy, CPS: Islamic state, Economic reforms, Education system: culture, Foreign policy reform, Human rights, Independence, Protection of cultural heritage, Public services, Referendum, Reform judicial system, Restructure military forces, Revenues from natural resources, Rule of law
Conflict Dynamics Issues: Collective targeting: ethnic, DFI: Removal of foreign influence, DFI: Withdrawal of military intervention/foreign forces, DFI: Withdrawal of military support, IFI: International monitoring, IFI: Military intervention/foreign forces, IFI: Military support, IFI: Recognition, IFI: Use of foreign influence, Release of prisoners, Return of refugees/IDPs
Conflict Resolution Issues: Call for ceasefire, Call for negotiations, Opposition to negotiations, Structure of negotiations
Government of Central African Republic - anti-Balaka
Conflict Goal Issues: Anti-Balaka, anti-sword/anti-machete, was a mostly Christian rebel group in the Central African Republic (CAR). The group consisted of many different sub-groups and emerged as an alliance of several militias and emerged in 2013 following the ousting of former President Francois Bozize in 2013. During the year of its emergence, anti-Balaka called for two conflict goal issues calling for President Michel Djotodia to be removed from office and stated that a government position constituted a precondition for the group’s surrender.
In its second, and final coded, year of existence, the anti-Balaka reiterated its intentions to oust President Djotodia from office. Although the group did not restate intentions to establish executive power-sharing with themselves in government position, issues of parliamentary and security sector power-sharing were raised, calling for the incorporation of anti-Balaka members into the legislative and military national structures. The group also began calling for the establishment of security and constitutional order as well as for the civil rights and access to public services of the Central African people to be respected. Finally, anti-Balaka also accused the government of economic corruption: “a leader supposed to lead the Central African state is suspected of embezzling a large sum of money at a critical time when the Central African people are shaving the wall”.
The main conflict goal issue for anti-Balaka was the ousting of President Djotodia and his cabinet from power. This issue was continuously stated with heavy emphasis and was frequently indicated by the group during its brief coded existence.
Conflict Dynamics Issues: During the year of its emergence, anti-Balaka raised issues of atrocities and abuses committed by another Central African rebel group, Seleka, against the civilian population. The group also called for the removal of foreigners, calling for the removal of “jihadists from Chad and Sudan”.
In the second coded year of conflict, the group did not explicitly reiterate either of these issues. Instead, anti-Balaka stated that its goal was “to save the country from Chadian and Sudanese forces that have taken the country hostage, and to defend the Christian population”, indicating issues of collective targeting from military forces and calls for the removal of foreign military forces. The group also called for the removal of foreign military support to the Central African government from Chad. Finally, anti-Balaka also initiated a campaign of ethnic cleansing against Muslim civilians in the areas it controlled, stating that: “We don’t want any more Muslims in our country.” No particular main conflict dynamics issue was interpreted as no issues were stated in both coded years.
Conflict Resolution Issues: The only interpreted conflict resolution issue expressed by anti-Balaka in 2013 was a statement calling for general amnesty as a precondition for its forces to surrender to the government. This issue was not reiterated in 2014, although several further issues were raised. The group called for negotiations to be established and a ceasefire to be initiated: “We don't want war anymore. We wish the Central African authorities a dialogue for a return to peace in the Central African Republic.” After this, anti-Balaka also called for compensation of losses suffered during the fighting, the establishment of a national reconciliation process, and for a process of disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR) to be initiated for combatants who wanted to reintegrate into Central African society. No main conflict resolution issue was interpreted for anti-Balaka.
Type of conflict issues: Conflict Goal Issues: Civil rights, Constitutional issues, Corruption, Executive power-sharing, Law and order, Oust head of the executive, Parliamentary power-sharing, Public services, Security sector power-sharing
Conflict Dynamics Issues: Atrocities and abuses, Call for collective targeting: religious, Collective targeting: religious, DFI: Removal of foreigners, DFI: Withdrawal of military intervention/foreign forces, DFI: Withdrawal of military support
Conflict Resolution Issues:
Amnesties, Call for ceasefire, Call for negotiations, Call for truth and reconciliation processes, Compensation/restoration, DDR issues
Government of Yemen (North Yemen) - Forces of the Presidential Leadership Council
Conflict Goal Issues: The Forces of the Presidential Leadership Council, also known as the Forces Forces of Hadi, was a Yemeni rebel group fighting against the Houthi-led government of Yemen to restore former President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi to power. The group emerged following the ousting of Hadi through a coup in 2015 and was made up of officers and combatants loyal to the former President. The group shared the common goal of ousting the Houthi-government from power and reinstating Hadi as President and had no other specific common characteristic. During the year of its emergence, Hadi stated the group’s initial conflict goal issues as introducing constitutional amendments to establish a new Yemeni state with a federal state structure.
As the conflict progressed, the Forces of the Presidential Leadership Council raised several further conflict goal issues, calling for the establishment of federalism once more in 2016 but not explicitly reiterating intentions to amend the constitution to enable this. The group also began calling for the decentralization of the government and for the implementation of executive power-sharing specifically mentioning the north- and south Yemeni divide of power and calling for a more equal power-sharing agreement. Hadi further emphasized this issue by stating that Yemen “cannot advance and progress without security and stability and there is no security and stability without justice. Justice means the sharing of wealth and power.”, calling for economic reforms and the establishment of law and order. The group also called for a restructuring of the military forces to make them more representative and less factional. The Forces of the Presidential Leadership Council reemphasized its calls for executive power-sharing and economic reforms, although its content altered to emphasize reduced power for the Houthis in government. The group also began calling for the ousting of the President, of the government, and of the parliament, the protection of basic needs and children’s-, civil-, and human rights, and for judicial and foreign policy reform to respect international law and charters. Finally, the Forces of the Presidential Leadership Council also called for the reestablishment of democracy and democratic governance within the country in the last coded year, 2017.
Whilst several issues were stated several times throughout the conflict, no particular issues were stated especially frequently nor with particular emphasis, which is why no conflict goal issue has been considered especially central to the Forces of the Presidential Leadership Council’s existence.
Conflict Dynamics Issues: During the year of its emergence, the Forces of the Presidential Leadership Council stated several conflict dynamics issues, particularly directed toward the international community. The group especially emphasized the removal of Iranian influence and political support to the Houthi government from the Yemeni state. Hadi also called for interventions to be initiated both by neighboring Gulf countries and from the UN Security Council, calling for the international community’s political support, use of influence, and implementation of military interventions to restore himself to power. The group also called for the release of political detainees.
As the conflict progressed, calls for the removal of foreign influence and support from the country were continuously made by the group, calling for the removal of Saudi, Iranian, and Hezbollah influence over Yemen. The Forces of the Presidential Leadership Council also reemphasized its calls for foreign influence to be exerted onto the Yemeni government to cease human rights violations, which they also accused the government of, and restated its calls for a military intervention in 2018, this time from a Saudi-led coalition aiming to fight Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. The group also called for the withdrawal of implemented foreign military interventions into Yemen, specifically towards the United Arab Emirates (UAE) mission which they accused of “acting like an occupation power in Yemen rather than a force of liberation.” The Forces of the Presidential Leadership Council also called upon international assistance from financial support and humanitarian aid toward the later stages of the coded conflict.
The main conflict dynamics issue for the Forces of the Presidential Leadership Council was the withdrawal of Iranian influence over Yemen and support to the Houthi government. These issues were stated continuously throughout the coded conflict and, most importantly, were stated with heavy emphasis frequently. Several other issues, such as calls for humanitarian aid and military intervention were stated with similar continuity and frequency, but they were not as heavily emphasized as the main issues.
Conflict Resolution Issues: During the first year of conflict, the Forces of the Presidential Leadership Council stated several conflict resolution issues, calling upon the Houthi government to initiate a ceasefire and begin negotiations as well as establish national dialogue to resolve the conflict politically.
These issues were frequently stated for the first years of conflict and were joined in singular instances with calls for the implementation of agreed upon peace agreements. The group also called for members of the government to resign, stating Hadi’s intentions to grant a general amnesty to people who leave the government.
The main conflict resolution issues of the Forces of the Presidential Leadership Council were the calls for negotiations and calls for ceasefires. Both of these issues were frequently stated for the duration of the coded conflict and were heavily emphasized.
Type of conflict issues: The coded conflict issues for this group are: Conflict Goal Issues: Basic needs, Childrens rights, Civil rights, Constitutional issues, CPS: Democracy, Decentralization, Economic reforms, Executive power-sharing, Foreign policy reform, Human rights, Law and order, Oust full executive, Oust head of the executive, Oust parliament, Public services, Reform judicial system, Restructure military forces, Federalism, Rule of law
Conflict Dynamics Issues: Atrocities and abuses, DFI: Removal of foreign influence, DFI: Withdrawal of military intervention/foreign forces, DFI: Withdrawal of political support, IFI: Financial support, IFI: Humanitarian aid, IFI: Military intervention/foreign forces, IFI: Political support, IFI: Use of foreign influence, Military conduct, Release of prisoners
Conflict Resolution Issues: Amnesties, Call for ceasefire, Call for negotiations, National dialogue, Peace agreement implementation
Annual information
This section contains annual information systematically collected by the UCDP.
1975
Actor Active in Dyad(s):
Government of Morocco - POLISARIO
1976
Actor Active in Dyad(s):
Government of Morocco - POLISARIO
1977
Actor Active in Dyad(s):
Government of Morocco - POLISARIO
1978
Actor Active in Dyad(s):
Government of Morocco - POLISARIO
1979
Actor Active in Dyad(s):
Government of Morocco - POLISARIO
1980
Actor Active in Dyad(s):
Government of Morocco - POLISARIO
1981
Actor Active in Dyad(s):
Government of Morocco - POLISARIO
1982
Actor Active in Dyad(s):
Government of Morocco - POLISARIO
1983
Actor Active in Dyad(s):
Government of Morocco - POLISARIO
1984
Actor Active in Dyad(s):
Government of Morocco - POLISARIO
1985
Actor Active in Dyad(s):
Government of Morocco - POLISARIO
1986
Actor Active in Dyad(s):
Government of Morocco - POLISARIO
1987
Actor Active in Dyad(s):
Government of Morocco - POLISARIO
1988
Actor Active in Dyad(s):
Government of Morocco - POLISARIO
1989
Actor Active in Dyad(s):
Government of Morocco - POLISARIO
Group Archive
This section contains annual information no longer systematically collected by the UCDP.
1975 Group Archive
Government of Morocco - POLISARIO
Troop Size: 50 000 - 61 000
Comment on Troop Size: Morocco had a total 50 000-61 000 troops, of which an estimated 15 000 were deployed in Western Sahara by late 1975, according to estimates.
Secondary Support: The USA provided economic support for military supplies and training, and France supplied arms. Saudi Arabia provided significant financial support towards Moroccos military expenses.
1976 Group Archive
Government of Morocco - POLISARIO
Troop Size: 90 000
Comment on Troop Size: During 1976, the Moroccan army was increased to some 90 000 fighters.
Secondary Support: The USA provided economic support for military supplies and training, and France supplied arms. Saudi Arabia provided significant financial support towards Moroccos military expenses.
1977 Group Archive
Government of Morocco - POLISARIO
Troop Size: 85 000
Secondary Support: The USA provided economic support for military supplies and training, and France supplied arms. Saudi Arabia provided significant financial support towards Moroccos military expenses.
1978 Group Archive
Government of Morocco - POLISARIO
Troop Size: > 90 000
Comment on Troop Size: Out of the total army which was at least 90 000 strong, Morocco in 1978 reported that around 40 000 of its troops were deployed in the Western Sahara conflict.
Secondary Support: The USA provided economic support for military supplies and training, and France supplied arms. Saudi Arabia provided significant financial support towards Moroccos military expenses.
1979 Group Archive
Government of Morocco - POLISARIO
Troop Size: > 90 000
Secondary Support: The USA provided economic support for military supplies and training, and France supplied arms. Saudi Arabia provided significant financial support towards Moroccos military expenses.
1980 Group Archive
Government of Morocco - POLISARIO
Troop Size: > 90 000
Comment on Troop Size: Out of the total army which was at least 90 000 strong, a reported 40 000 Moroccan troops were deployed in the Western Sahara conflict.
Secondary Support: The USA provided economic support for military supplies and training, and France supplied arms. Saudi Arabia provided significant financial support towards Moroccos military expenses.
1981 Group Archive
Government of Morocco - POLISARIO
Troop Size: 120 000
Secondary Support: The USA provided economic support for military supplies and training, and France supplied arms. Saudi Arabia provided significant financial support towards Moroccos military expenses.
1982 Group Archive
Government of Morocco - POLISARIO
Troop Size: 180 000
Comment on Troop Size: In early 1982, it was reported that the total size of Morocco’s army was 180 000.
Secondary Support: Following a visit to Morocco by US Secretary of State Alexander Haig, the latter promised substantially increased military aid to the Moroccan forces. The support took the form of military sales credits, financial support for military training, and sending military instructors to Morocco as well as receiving some Moroccan personnel for training in the US. France supplied arms. Saudi Arabia provided significant financial support towards Moroccos military expenses.
1983 Group Archive
Government of Morocco - POLISARIO
Troop Size: 200 000
Comment on Troop Size: It was reported that the Moroccan army was 200 000 strong by early 1983. Out of this total, 80 000 were reportedly deployed in Western Sahara.
Secondary Support: Morocco received military support from France and the USA. Both countries supplied arms, including military aircraft, as well as training and financial assistance. Saudi Arabia provided significant financial support (around 1 billion US$) towards Moroccos military expenses.
1984 Group Archive
Government of Morocco - POLISARIO
Troop Size: 200 000
Comment on Troop Size: Some 100 000 of the total army (which was reportedly 200 000 strong) were deployed in Western Sahara, mainly along the defensive wall.
Secondary Support: Morocco received military support from France and the USA. Both countries supplied arms, including military aircraft, as well as training and financial assistance. Saudi Arabia provided significant financial support towards Moroccos military expenses.
1985 Group Archive
Government of Morocco - POLISARIO
Troop Size: 200 000
Comment on Troop Size: Some 120 000 of the total army (which was reportedly some 200 000 strong) were deployed in Western Sahara, mainly along the defensive wall.
Secondary Support: Morocco received military support from France and the USA. Both countries supplied arms, including military aircraft, as well as training and financial assistance. Saudi Arabia also provided significant financial support towards Moroccos military expenses.
1986 Group Archive
Government of Morocco - POLISARIO
Troop Size: 185 000
Secondary Support: Morocco received military support from France and the USA. Both countries supplied arms, including military aircraft, as well as training and financial assistance. Saudi Arabia also provided significant financial support towards Moroccos military expenses.
1987 Group Archive
Government of Morocco - POLISARIO
Troop Size: 200 000
Comment on Troop Size: Out of the total army (which was reportedly some 200 000 strong), some 100 000 – 120 000 Moroccan troops were deployed in Western Sahara.
Secondary Support: Morocco received military support from France and the USA. Both countries supplied arms, including military aircraft, as well as training and financial assistance. Saudi Arabia also provided significant financial support towards Moroccos military expenses. However, Saudi support appeared to be on the decrease as the country was suffering from economic problems.
1988 Group Archive
Government of Morocco - POLISARIO
Troop Size: 200 000
Comment on Troop Size: In 1988, Morocco reportedly had some 150 000 troops in Western Sahara. The total army size was at least 200 000.
Secondary Support: Morocco received military support from France and the USA. Both countries supplied arms, including military aircraft, as well as training and financial assistance. Saudi Arabia also provided significant financial support towards Moroccos military expenses. However, Saudi support appeared to be on the decrease as the country was suffering from economic problems.
1989 Group Archive
Government of Morocco - POLISARIO
Troop Size: 150 000 - 200 000
Comment on Troop Size: IISS estimates the troop size of the government at approximately 170 000, whereas the UN estimate is 180 000-200 000.
Secondary Support: The assistance from the United States has been in the form of money for armament, reportedly worth $859 million. Saudi Arabia provide funds (including debt forgiveness) while France provided weaponry.
