The Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony located in Northwestern Africa, has been at the center of one of Africa's longest unresolved conflicts for over four decades. The region, rich in natural resources, is home to valuable phosphate deposits and abundant fish stocks, making it strategically important. The conflict began when Spain withdrew from the territory in 1975, and Morocco, along with Mauritania, laid claim to it. While Mauritania eventually abandoned its claim, Morocco took full control of the region, despite the Sahrawi people’s desire for independence.
The territory is now divided by a 1,600-kilometer sand wall, known as the Berm, which stretches across the desert and separates the Polisario-controlled areas in the east from the Moroccan-controlled lands in the west. The Polisario Front, a Sahrawi nationalist movement, administers a small portion of the region, where they continue to fight for self-determination. On the other hand, Morocco has integrated the Western Sahara into its southern provinces, moving thousands of Moroccan settlers to the area as part of its effort to solidify control.
Morocco's occupation has focused heavily on exploiting the region’s vast natural resources. The Western Sahara is home to one of the world’s largest phosphate reserves, crucial for global fertilizer production, and its coastal waters are rich in fish, particularly sardines, making the region an important part of Morocco's economy. Despite international criticism and the Sahrawi people's calls for independence, Morocco has continued to develop the area, building infrastructure, setting up settlements, and profiting from its resources, all while denying the Sahrawi people the right to self-determination. The situation remains one of the most intractable conflicts in the world today, with little progress toward peace or a final resolution.
The Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony in Northwestern Africa is a territory where the has been living in limbo for more than forty years in one of Africa's longest frozen conflict. A tiny part of desert in the East bordering Algeria is controlled by the Polisario, a Sahrawi nationalist independence movement and is separated by a heavily mined 1,600 kilometre sand wall which divides the Western Sahara in two. Morocco is in full control of the coastal lands West of the sand wall and have all but fully integrated the resource-rich territory within Morocco. Over the years numerous people from Morocco have been moved to the Southern Provinces as they are officially called in order to consolidate their hold on the territory and to exploit its mining and fishstock resources. Old Spanish barracks near Laayoune. The Western Sahara was a Spanish colony until 1975. Laayoune region, December 2018
Late evening fishing in Dakhla, the Western Sahara's waters are very rich in fish. Western Sahara, December 2018
Rudimentary accomodation blocks built by the Moroccan authorities. The authorities try very hard to attrack Morrocans to settle in the disputed territory of the Western Sahara by building infrastructure and new neighbourhoods on the edge of the capital. Laayoune, Western Sahara, December 2018
A father and his sons in front of his modest dwelling, Laayoune, Western Sahara, December 2018
Western Sahara, December 2018
A horse wandering the streets of a newly built neighbourhood on the edge of the capital Laayoune, Western Sahara, December 2018
Foum El Oued village near the capital Laayoune, Western Sahara, December 2018
A newly built neighbourhood consisting of merely rudimentary accomodation blocks. The authorities try very hard to attrack Morrocans to settle in the disputed territory of the Western Sahara by building infrastructure and new neighbourhoods on the edge of the capital. Laayoune, Western Sahara, December 2018
Border area of the Western Sahara, December 2018
Houses built by the authorities looking like a nomad's tent. The Moroccan authorities try very hard to attrack Morrocans to settle in the disputed territory of the Western Sahara by building infrastructure and vast accomodation blocks in the capital. Laayoune, Western Sahara, December 2018
The South Atlantic Ocean with the port of Laayoune in the background. Dispite being a disputed territory, the Western Sahara's mineral resources are being vastly exploited and exported. China is one of the main investors in the area. Laayoune, Western Sahara, December 2018
A fishing point near the city of Dakhla, Western Sahara, December 2018
Gendarmerie post in the disputed territory of the Western Sahara de facto part of Morocco, Foum El Oued, December 2018
The road connecting the mainland with the Dakhla peninsula, Western Sahara, December 2018
Foum El Oued, Western Sahara, December 2018
Dakhla peninsula, Western Sahara, December 2018
Newly built infrastructure along Foum El Oued beach in the disputed territory of the Western Sahara, December 2018
A desert road linking the port of Laayoune with Southern Morocco. Tarafaya road, Western Sahara, December 2018
Rudimentary accomodation blocks built by the Moroccan authorities. The authorities try very hard to attrack Morrocans to settle in the disputed territory of the Western Sahara by building infrastructure and new neighbourhoods on the edge of the capital. Laayoune, Western Sahara, December 2018
Desert and Ocean are the unique elements of the Western Sahara, both providing large resources of minerals and fish that are being exploited at an ever increasing rate. Northern part of the Western Sahara, December 2018
Kids catching shellfish and a stranded ferry that used to sail between the Canary Islands and Tarafaya in Morocco. The wreck has been there since 2008 and the ferry line suspended. Border area between Morocco and the Western Sahara, December 2018
