Khalihenna Ould Errachid

Khalihenna Ould Errachid was born in November 1951 in the city of Laayoune. At that time, the Sahara territory was under the Spanish occupation and the national resistance was fighting the Franco-Spanish colonialism in the other regions of the Kingdom.

He undertook high studies in Madrid before the Moroccan decision to organize the “Green March” in November 1975 which led to the retrocession of the Saharan provinces. He was one of the closest collaborators to HM the late King Hassan II for the strategic, political, diplomatic and security preparations for this march.

After this event, the Sovereign asked him to defend the ratification of the Madrid Accords in the United Nations (November 1975).

He founded the Sahrawi National Union Party (PUNS) in 1974-75. He is one of the first dignitaries to swear allegiance to HM the late King Hassan II and came back to the country in December 1975. One year later, he actively took part in the setting up of the Moroccan Administration in the liberated territories.

Between 1977 and 1995, he was appointed by the Sovereign as Minister of Saharan Affairs in the different governments that the country knew during this period.
In 1977, he was elected member of the House of Representatives for the city of Laayoune and became member of the executive committee and office of the National Rally of Independent Party which he left at the beginning of 1981 in order to take part in the creation of the National Democratic Party.

Khalihenna Ould Errachid was also appointed mayor of Laayoune since 1983. In addition,  he undertook a number of diplomatic missions to the United Nations, the Non-aligned Countries and the African Union.

In 2000, he was asked by HM King Mohammed VI to participate in the negotiations led by James Baker in London and Berlin. On March 25th, 2006, the Sovereign appointed him as President of the Royal Advisory Council for Saharan Affairs (CORCAS).