Introduction
Since Spain’s cessation from Western Sahara in 1975, the King-
dom of Morocco and the Polisario Front (the leadership of the
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), has been locked
in conflict for the past five decades of a seemingly irreconcilable
stalemate. The Polisario initiated an insurgency with Morocco
in 1991, leading to a United Nations (UN)-sponsored ceasefire
resolution in 1993 to peacefully resolve the conflict. The resolu-
tion has not been fully enacted, leaving the conflict stalemated
and unresolved.
Western Sahara is the only territory on the UN’s list of
non-self-governing territories without a recognized adminis-
trating country. 1 The conflict is in an armed deadlock, currently
monitored by the UN’s Mission for the Referendum in Western
Sahara (known by its French acronym MINURSO). 2 In 2007,
Morocco proposed a Western Sahara autonomy plan that the
United States (US) called “serious, credible, and realistic,” 3 but
which the Polisario outright rejected, instead wanting “nothing
short of total independence.” 4 This scenario is poised to upset
regional stability in Western Sahara and northwest Africa. If the
UN were to not renew MINURSO’s mandate, and withdraw
UN peacekeepers, then Morocco and the Polisario would be
left to resolve the conflict without UN assistance. If this were
to happen, it could adversely affect several US regional strategic
objectives in northwestern Africa, such as maintaining political
and regional stability.
This article first describes how the Kingdom of Morocco fits
into US northwestern African regional political and security
goals, and summarizes the United State’s policy toward the
conflict. Lastly, this article touches upon the possible effects to
the Polisario, Morocco, and the US if the UN does not renew
MINURSO’s mandate, and withdraws its peacekeepers.
Background of Conflict
Following Spain cessation of administrative control of Western
Sahara in 1975, Morocco and the recently formed Polisario
Front violently clashed over who would take Spain’s place. Mo-
rocco ultimately ended the conflict by expelling the Polisario
and their Sahrawi supporters who fled to western Algeria, where
they remain today, living in Algerian-sponsored refugee camps.
Morocco went a step further, building a 1,700 mile long, 30
foot high wall of sand and rocks, referred to as ‘the Berm,’ sepa-
rating the western 70 percent of Western Sahara under Moroc-
can control from the remaining portion of the territory in the
east controlled by the Polisario.
The headquarters of MINURSO in Laayoune.
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