Algeria’s role in Sahara dispute: study says the neutrality claim doesn’t add up

A recent research paper released by the Policy Center for the New South says that Algeria’s role in the decades-long Sahara conflict is undeniable. 

The study, titled “Lessons from 50 Years of the Sahara Issue: The Polisario and the Evolution of International Law,” meticulously examines Algeria’s actions and argues that its claims of neutrality are increasingly untenable.

The report said that Algeria has consistently played a significant, albeit often concealed, role in the UN-led peace process.

While officially maintaining neutrality, Algeria has actively participated in roundtable discussions and is now explicitly named alongside Morocco, the Polisario Front, and Mauritania in recent UN Security Council resolutions. 

This marks a significant shift from previous resolutions that primarily focused on Morocco and the Polisario. 

The study says that Algeria’s actions often contradict its stated neutrality. The immediate recall of its ambassador to France following Paris’s endorsement of Morocco’s autonomy plan for the Sahara serves as a prime example. 

The research says that international law provides a strong foundation for classifying Algeria as a full party to the conflict, given its substantial control over and unwavering support for the Polisario Front.

The report says that Algeria bears responsibility for the actions of the Polisario, as the group operates entirely within its territory and relies on Algerian support. 

It also notes that the exploitation of natural resources in the Sahara, often contested by the Polisario, effectively has Algeria’s approval due to its close ties to the group.

The research also delves into the complexities of nationalism within the Tindouf camps, where the Polisario is based. 

The report characterizes this nationalism as largely politically driven, in some instances, artificially amplified. 

The study suggests that the implementation of Morocco’s autonomy plan, coupled with open dialogue and regional cooperation, could effectively mitigate separatist sentiments and pave the way for a lasting and mutually beneficial political resolution.

The paper calls on the European Union’s Court of Justice to reassess its requirements for Polisario’s consent over resource use and urges a reevaluation of the group’s role in peace talks. 

It also says that Algeria should formally participate in negotiations instead of acting through the Polisario as a proxy