WESTERN SAHARA: HISTORY, UN ACTING, AND FOREIGN INTERESTS

Abstract

This article aims to answer the following question: What are the main reasons that allow the impasse for the resolution of the conflict in Western Sahara, which began in the 1970s, to last until the present day, even with the establishment of MINURSO, in 1991? The hypothesis considered is that the impasse in the resolution of the conflict in Western Sahara persists to the present day due to political-economic interests and the interference/ interest of important global geopolitical actors, preventing diplomacy brokered by the UN, through MINURSO, achieve the desired success and solution. In order to find the answer to the proposed problem, through a qualitative bibliographic research, an analysis of the history of the conflict was initially carried out until the implementation of MINURSO, followed by the detailing of that mission and, finally, the economic, strategic and geopolitical interests of the main global actors involved in the Sahrawi question were addressed. In conclusion, it is observed that, since the beginning of the conflict, the involvement of important geopolitical actors contributed to the beginning and to the maintenance of the impasse over the years, motivated mainly by economic, strategic and geopolitical interests.