The conflict over Western Sahara, often labeled as Africa’s last unresolved colonial issue, began with Spain’s withdrawal in 1975 from its former territory, known as Spanish Sahara. The International Court of Justice ruled that while Morocco and Mauritania had historical connections to the region, these did not constitute sovereignty; it supported the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination. Spain’s signing of the Madrid Accords transferred control to Morocco and Mauritania without organizing a promised referendum. The Polisario Front emerged, declaring the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic and declaring war. Although a ceasefire was established in 1991 with a UN mission to organize a referendum, it has yet to take place. Morocco proposes broad autonomy while the Polisario demands a referendum. Spain has maintained a complex relationship with Morocco, which escalated in 2022 when Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez endorsed Morocco’s autonomy plan, marking a shift from neutrality and drawing criticism from within Spain and Algeria. The Sahrawis, many in refugee camps for decades, view Spain’s realignment as a betrayal. The UN still recognizes Western Sahara as non-self-governing, with the Sahrawi right to self-determination intact legally, although Morocco’s administration and geopolitical support complicate the path to independence.
