Understanding the conflict in Western Sahara

What is the Western Sahara conflict is all about, and how will the most recent developments between Morocco and Spain influence this conflict?

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The little-known but long-running conflict in Western Sahara made it into the headlines in Europe recently, when Morocco weaponised migration in Ceuta to advance its territorial claim. Listen as host Julien Barnes-Dacey, director of the MENA programme at ECFR discusses the issue with Irene Fernandez-Molina, senior lecturer in International Relations at the University of Exeter and expert on frozen conflicts, José Ignacio Torreblanca, senior policy fellow and head of ECFR´s Madrid office, as well as Jacob Mundy, visiting fellow at ECFR and an associate professor in Peace and Conflict Studies and Middle Eastern, and Islamic Studies programs at Colgate University in Hamilton, New York. Together they try to find out what the Western Sahara conflict is all about, and how the most recent developments between Morocco and Spain will influence this conflict.

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Cover image:
Vehicles of a UN patrol team, deployed for monitoring ceasefire, in the Smara area of Western Sahara

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