The West Saharan Convergence: Drivers of Conflict in Africa's Last Colony

Abstract: Western Sahara represents the fragile keystone of North Africa's equilibrium. More than any other geopolitical dossier, the Sahara issue informs the foreign policy of both Morocco and Algeria, regional powerhouses whose historic rivalry hinges on control of the territory. This paper examines how the Western Sahara conflict between Morocco and the Algeria-backed Polisario Front, which flared up again in 2020, acts as a focus for the ideological, political, and economic factors that shape the strategic interests of both Rabat and Algiers. Against such a backdrop, it highlights how Western Sahara constitutes both a prize and a prime catalyst for intensifying regional competition across the Mediterranean, North Africa, and the Sahel.