Khatri Addouh

Khatri Addouh
Khatri Addouh speaking at the Assembly of Extremadura on July 26, 2012
President of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic Acting
In office 31 May 2016 – 12 July 2016
Prime Minister	Abdelkader Taleb Omar
Preceded by	Mohamed Abdelaziz
Succeeded by	Brahim Ghali
Personal details
Born	Smara, Western Sahara
Political party	Polisario Front

Khatri Addouh (born 1954) is a former Sahrawi President and the current president of the Sahrawi National Council. He was appointed as the Acting President and the Secretary General of the Polisario Front upon the death of his long time aide President Mohamed Abedlaziz on 31 May 2016. He assumed this leadership position on 31 May 2016, upon the death of Mohamed Abdelaziz.

Addouh is a member of the National Secretariat of the Polisario Front. He served in the Polisario Front Orientation Department. He also served as the Wali of Es Semara till August 2010. He became the President of the Sahrawi National Council on 10 July 2010. He replaced Mahfoud Ali Beiba, whose death was attributed by SADR to a heart attack, while Moroccan media claimed that Beiba was assassinated to make way for Addouh.

He was subsequently re-elected to the same post on 24 February 2014 and then again for a third term on 19 March 2016. Addouh became the acting president when Mohamed Abedlaziz, who was the president for 40 years since 1976 died on 31 May, 2016. Addouh convened the 2300 strong delegate council at Dakhla, which elected Brahim Ghali as the new president of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic republic.

Addouh also heads the negotiating team of the Polisario Front in various international organisations. Addouh and his loyalists are working towards gaining an observer status at the United Nations, which will enable the Polisario Front government to stake claim as the legitimate representative of the Sahrawi people.