17th Government of the Sahrawi Republic

Incumbent government of the Sahrawi Republic

Fourth Hammoudi Bayoun cabinet

17th Government of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
2023–present

Nana Labat Rachid, Advisor to the Presidency, announces the 17th Government of the Sahrawi Republic.

Date formed| 14 February 2023 (2023-02-14)
People and organisations
President| Brahim Ghali
Prime Minister| Bouchraya Hammoudi Bayoun
No. of ministers| 17[a]
Total no. of members| 22[a]
Member parties|  Polisario Front
Status in legislature| One-party state

51 / 51 (100%)

History
Election| 2023 Sahrawi presidential election
Legislature terms| 12th term of the Sahrawi National Council
Predecessor| 16th Government of the Sahrawi Republic
Successor| Incumbent

The 17th Government of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic was announced by President Brahim Ghali on 14 February 2023, after he won re-election in the 2023 Sahrawi presidential election held during the 16th Congress of the POLISARIO Front. It is headed by Bouchraya Hammoudi Bayoun as Prime Minister, with this being his second consecutive term and his fourth overall.

The government only has three women members out of seventeen ministers and twenty-two cabinet members.[a] Mariam Salek Hmada became the first woman to serve as Minister of the Interior in the SADR[1] and second in the Arab world after Raya El Hassan, who was Minister of Interior and Municipalities in Lebanon between 2019 and 2020.

On 18 February 2023, the newly-appointed ministers took their constitutional oath on the first session of the Council of Ministers.[2]

## Background

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The government was formed after Brahim Ghali won a third term in the 2023 Sahrawi presidential election held during the 16th Congress of the POLISARIO Front, an election in which he faced a competitive candidate, Bachir Mustafa Sayed.

The government is legally complied to apply the National Action Program approved by the 16th Congress, which included "intensifying the armed struggle" and "strengthening the diplomatic way" as one of its points.[3]

The government is the first one to start its mandate in a war situation since 1991, after the ceasefire was broken in 2020, leading to the Second Western Sahara War.

## Cabinet changes

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* Naama Said Yumani, Minister Advisor to the Presidency, died on 17 August 2023.[4][5]
* Brahim Al-Bachir Bel-la replaced Mariam Salek Ahmada as Minister of the Interior on 14 April 2024.[6]
* Mohamed Yeslem Beissat replaced Mohamed Sidati as Minister of Foreign Affairs and African Affairs on 12 April 2025 after the latter's appointment as Representative of the Polisario Front to the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland.[7]

## Council of Ministers

[edit]

Portfolio | Minister | Took office | Left office | Party

|
|
|
|

Prime Minister|

Bouchraya Hammoudi Bayoun

| 14 February 2023| Incumbent|  | Polisario
Minister of Foreign Affairs and African Affairs[b]|

Mohamed Sidati

| 14 February 2023| 12 April 2025|  | Polisario

Mohamed Yeslem Beissat

| 12 April 2025| Incumbent|  | Polisario
Minister of the Interior|

Mariam Salek Hmada

| 14 February 2023| 14 April 2024|  | Polisario

Brahim Al-Bachir Beil-la

| 14 April 2024| Incumbent|  | Polisario
Minister of Justice and Religious Affairs|

Mohamed Embarek Ahmed (Naanaa)

| 14 February 2023| Incumbent|  | Polisario
Minister of Education, Teaching and Vocational Training|

Khatri Addouh

| 14 February 2023| Incumbent|  | Polisario
Minister of Public Health|

Salek Baba Hasanna

| 14 February 2023| Incumbent|  | Polisario
Minister of Occupied Territories and the Diaspora|

Mustafa Mohamed Ali Sid-el-Bachir

| 14 February 2023| Incumbent|  | Polisario
Minister of Information|

Hamada Salma

| 14 February 2023| Incumbent|  | Polisario
Minister of Water and Environment|

Adda Brahim Hmeim

| 14 February 2023| Incumbent|  | Polisario
Minister of Transport and Energy|

Salek Mohamed Embarek Mohamed Fadel

| 14 February 2023| Incumbent|  | Polisario
Minister of Construction and Reconstruction of the Liberated Territories|

Salem Sidbrahim Lebsir

| 14 February 2023| Incumbent|  | Polisario
Minister of Youth and Sports|

Hasanito Mohamed Ashabalel

| 14 February 2023| Incumbent|  | Polisario
Minister of Personnel, Public Service and Administration Promotion|

Mohamed Al-Mami Tamek

| 14 February 2023| Incumbent|  | Polisario
Minister of Culture|

Musa Salma

| 14 February 2023| Incumbent|  | Polisario
Minister of Social Affairs and Women's Empowerment|

Suelma Beiruk

| 14 February 2023| Incumbent|  | Polisario
Minister of Commerce|

Ahmed Bachar Ammi Omar

| 14 February 2023| Incumbent|  | Polisario
Minister of Economic Development|

Baba Ahmed Mohamed Yahdih Afdeid

| 14 February 2023| Incumbent|  | Polisario
Minister of Cooperation|

Fatma Chej Mehdi

| 14 February 2023| Incumbent|  | Polisario
National Director of the Protocol|

Bulahi Mohamed Fadel Siyed

| 14 February 2023| Incumbent|  | Polisario
Minister Delegate
Delegate Minister charged with Religious Affairs[c]|

Sidahmed Aleyat Hamma

| 14 February 2023| Incumbent|  | Polisario
Delegate Minister charged with the Control, Supervision and Protection of Public Property, and Relations with Parliament[d]|

Fadali Ali Buya

| 14 February 2023| Incumbent|  | Polisario
Delegate Minister charged with Vocational Training[e]|

Maddi Hayay

| 14 February 2023| Incumbent|  | Polisario
Secretary General of the Presidency|

Mohamed Chej Mohamed Lehbib

| 14 February 2023| Incumbent|  | Polisario

## Presidency of the Republic

[edit]

Presidency of the Republic of the 17th Government of the Sahrawi Republic[8] Portfolio  | Name  | Party  | Took office  | Left office

|
|
|
|

Minister Advisor to the Presidency  | Mohamed Lamin Buhali  |  | Polisario | 14 February 2023  | Incumbent
Minister Advisor to the Presidency in charge of Diplomatic Affairs  | Mohamed Salem Uld Salek  |  | Polisario | 14 February 2023  | Incumbent
Minister Advisor to the Presidency in charge of Economic and Financial Affairs  | Mohamed Mouloud Mohamed Fadel  |  | Polisario | 14 February 2023  | Incumbent
Minister Advisor to the Presidency  | Naama Said Yumani  |  | Polisario | 14 February 2023  | 17 August 2023
Advisor to the Presidency in charge of Media and the Arab World  | Nana Labat Rachid  |  | Polisario | 14 February 2023  | Incumbent
Advisor to the Presidency  | Abdati Breika  |  | Polisario | 14 February 2023  | Incumbent
Secretary General of the Presidency  | Sidi Okal  |  | Polisario | 14 February 2023  | Incumbent
Director of the Strategic Studies Center  | Brahim Mohamed Mahmoud  |  | Polisario | 14 February 2023  | Incumbent
Deputy Director of the Strategic Studies Center  | Mohamed Sid Ahmed Allal  |  | Polisario | 14 February 2023  | Incumbent
Director of the President's Office  | Mohamed Mouloud Mohamed Lamin  |  | Polisario | 14 February 2023  | Incumbent
Adviser to the Presidency for Political Affairs  | Baddi Sidi Mohamed Abheya  |  | Polisario | 14 February 2023  | Incumbent
Adviser to the Presidency for Social Affairs  | Sidi Ahmed Baba  |  | Polisario | 14 February 2023  | Incumbent
Ambassador Director of Protocol at the Presidency  | Salha Al-Abed  |  | Polisario | 14 February 2023  | Incumbent

## Governors

[edit]

Governors in the 17th Government of the Sahrawi Republic[9] Portfolio  | Name  | Party  | Took office  | Left office

|
|
|
|

Governor of El Aaiún  | Gauz Mamuni  |  | Polisario | 14 February 2023  | Incumbent
Governor of Auserd  | Jira Bulahi |  | Polisario | 14 February 2023  | Incumbent
Governor of Smara  | Al-Izza Babeh  |  | Polisario | 14 February 2023  | Incumbent
Governor of Dajla  | Abda Chej  |  | Polisario | 14 February 2023  | Incumbent
Governor of Bojador  | Deih Mohamed Chadad  |  | Polisario | 14 February 2023  | Incumbent
Governor of the Chahid El-Hafed Administrative and Political Unit | Daf Mohamed Fadel  |  | Polisario | 14 February 2023  | Incumbent

## Notes

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1. ^ a b c Does not include the Prime Minister.
2. ^ Until 12 April 2025, the ministry was known as the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
3. ^ The Minister is delegate to the Minister of Justice and Religious Affairs.
4. ^ The Minister is delegate to the Prime Minister.
5. ^ The Minister is delegate to the Minister of Education, Teaching and Vocational Training.

## References

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1. ^ "Una mujer saharaui asume por primera vez la cartera de Interior" [A Sahrawi woman assumes the Interior portfolio for the first time]. Prensa Latina (in Spanish). 15 February 2023. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
2. ^ "أعضاء الحكومة الجديدة يؤدون اليمين الدستورية أمام رئيس الجمهورية" [Members of the new government take the constitutional oath before the President of the Republic]. Sahrawi Press Service (in Arabic). 18 February 2023. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
3. ^ "El Frente Polisario aprueba intensificar la "lucha armada" contra Marruecos en su congreso trienal" [The Polisario Front approves intensifying the "armed struggle" against Morocco at its triennial congress]. RTVE (in Spanish). 19 January 2023. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
4. ^ "الوزير المستشار برئاسة الجمهورية النعمة سعيد الجماني في ذمة الله" [Minister Advisor at the Presidency of the Republic, Naama Said Yumani, is under God's care [has died]]. Sahrawi Press Service (in Arabic). 17 August 2023. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
5. ^ "رئاسة الجمهورية تعزي في رحيل الوزير المستشار بالرئاسة النعمة سعيد الجماني وتشيد بخصاله" [The Presidency of the Republic offers condolences on the passing of the Minister Advisor to the Presidency, Naama Said Yumani, and praises his qualities]. Sahrawi Press Service (in Arabic). 17 August 2023. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
6. ^ "El Presidente de la República emite dos decretos con nuevas asignaciones". Sahrawi Press Service (in Spanish). 15 April 2024. Archived from the original on 15 April 2024. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
7. ^ "Mohamed Yeslem Beissat assumes duties as Minister of Foreign Affairs and African Affairs". Sahrawi Press Service. 13 April 2025. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
8. ^ "President Brahim Ghali makes appointments at the level of the Presidency of the Republic". Sahrawi Press Service. 15 February 2023. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
9. ^ "President Brahim Ghali issues a presidential decree includes the new government". Sahrawi Press Service. 15 February 2023. Retrieved 15 February 2023.

*[No.]: Number
*[no.]: number