Azawad: How Mauritania Lost 80,000 Square Kilometers Without a Word

In 1963, Mauritania, under President Mokhtar Ould Daddah, ceded at least 80,000 square kilometers of its eastern territory during a conference in Kayes called by Malian President Modibo Keïta. This decision, made without parliamentary debate or a referendum, had lasting consequences for the Azawad region, marked by Tuareg rebellions. The regional context, particularly the conflict with Morocco, influenced this capitulation, which was a serious breach of the rule of law.