It has now been 50 years since Morocco began its occupation of Western Sahara. Often called “Africa’s last colony.” Here, Western Sahara residents live in a society characterized by human rights violations and strict control. For over 30 For years they have been waiting for a referendum on their independence – a vote that will determine whether Western Sahara should be independent or continue under Moroccan control. Since the Moroccan invasion in 1975 has 173 000 Western Sahara residents have fled and are now living in refugee camps in Algeria.
The international community's view of the conflict is ambivalent. While the UN and the EU recognize the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination, the EU continues sign a trade agreement with Morocco which includes the territory of Western Sahara – in violation of international law. Morocco's influence has been further strengthened through the latest UN resolution, which provides support for the country's autonomy plan where Western Saharan independence is not listed as an option.
What has the occupation been like for the Western Sahara people, and why is it often in the media shadow? What do the UN and EU's mixed messages mean for the future of Western Sahara? What does the situation in Western Sahara say about the world's decolonization, and how can we compare this conflict with similar situations?
Welcome to a panel discussion with:
Paul Wrange – Professor of International Law at Stockholm University and Director of the Stockholm Centre for International Law and Justice.
Redie Bereketeab – Associate Professor in Sociology and researcher at the Nordic Africa Institute in Uppsala.
Erik Halkjaer – has visited Western Sahara as a journalist and written about the situation in Swedish media. Works as editor-in-chief and responsible publisher for the magazine Sveriges Natur.
The call is moderated by Sinan Ferhan, program manager at the non-partisan and religiously unaffiliated nonprofit organization Artikel2.
We offer coffee, a warm welcome!
The conversation will be livestreamed to Youtube on @Fufplay.
Images, left to right: “Port for phosphate export from the Bou Craa mine”By jbdodane (CC BY-NC 2.0). EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (CC BY-SA 2.0). The images have been manipulated.
