Development of the Peace Process in the Western Sahara Conflict

Abstract

Colonized by Spain in 1884, The Western Sahara has been a theater of dispute between different actors in different times. Spain relinquished the administration of this territory to Morocco and Mauritania under the Madrid accords treaty in 1976. The Polisario rejected this treaty and waged guerrilla warfare mainly against Morocco. After fifteen years of a fierce military struggle, the United Nations (UN) brokered a ceasefire in 1991 that ended the war and started a new episode of a long and unproductive peace process. From the settlement plan through the Baker plans to the 2007 proposals by both parties, no plan seemed to end this dispute. The UN was stuck in the middle of a complex dispute that more than two parties are believed to be involved in. The researcher explores the reasons that caused the failure of the peace process in a chronological manner. He walks through the milestone events to provide a better understanding of the conflict. Through comprehensive analysis, the author devises solutions and elements that can produce a definite settlement of the dispute over the Western Sahara.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 13, 2014
Accession Number
ADA611727

Entities

People

  • Abdenaby Lamiri

Organizations

  • United States Army Command and General Staff College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Autonomy
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Africa
  • Agreements
  • Employment
  • European Union
  • Geography
  • Governments
  • Intergovernmental Organizations
  • International Organizations
  • International Relations
  • National Security
  • Personnel Management
  • Political Movements
  • Recreation
  • Terrorists
  • Treaties
  • United Nations
  • United States

Fields of Study

  • History

Readers

  • International Relations and Conflict Resolution
  • International Relations, focusing on Korea-Africa and North Korea-South Korea relations, and Nigeria-Latin American Relations.
  • Military History / Militaries and War Studies