Africa or Morocco? A Historical Perspective on the Resolution of the Contrived Stalemate over the Western Sahara Decolonization Process

Abstract: The stalemated decolonization process in Africa’s last colony, Western Sahara, was investigated in its historical context. Deploying the critical-analytic methodology of contemporary history and examining available sources on the subject, the paper posits the Saharawi right to self-determination and independence, within the framework of the UN Charter as a non-self-governing territory which is not in dispute. It concludes that the stalemate is Morocco’s contrivance to further its dream of a “Greater Morocco”, and that the reactivation of Saharawi armed struggle, complemented with diplomatic efforts under the strategic leadership of the African Union, would present the United Nations with a choice between Africa and Morocco, and reinvest the world body with the political will for its early resolution.