The Geopolitics of the Western Sahara: Realpolitik as Impediment to the Resolution of the Conflict.

The Western Sahara is the last colony in Africa. Both Spain and the United Nations failed to implement the referendum on Sahrawi self-determination. Because the conflict arose at the height of the Cold War and because Morocco was the West’s strategic ally in the region, the monarchy obtained far-reaching support for its irredentist claims over the former Spanish colony, international legality and UN resolutions notwithstanding. After 32 years, the conflict belongs to the category of “frozen conflicts” and “forgotten conflicts,” thus keeping the Sahrawi people under horrendous conditions in refugee camps in Algeria and under harsh repression in the Moroccan-occupied territory. Although no country recognizes Moroccan sovereignty over the territory, stratagems have been devised to prevent the holding of a free and fair referendum. Despite Morocco’s refusal to agree to the Baker Plan II, the UNSC did little to nudge Morocco to accept it, let alone force it to implement it. This paper analyzes the reasons why Morocco has been able to maintain its illegal occupation of Western Sahara without any retribution from the UNSC. The main hypothesis in this paper is that the conflict has been subjected to geopolitical considerations and that the geopolitical shifts of the various actors involved directly or indirectly in this conflict have less to do with the right and plight of the Sahrawis. Thus, the paper will review the roles of the players involved and their shifting geopolitical interests. The paper will draw from theoretical works in geopolitics and make use of intensive interviews with policymakers. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]