Colonial Legacies, Resource Rivalries, and Geopolitical Tensions

political landscape, contemporary dynamics increasingly revolve around strategic resources, including phosphate deposits, fisheries, and the potential for natural gas development. For Spain, the former colonial power, the conflict represents a complex challenge, as its historical ties and geographical proximity compel it to balance competing interests and alliances.

This essay delves into the historical and political factors that have shaped the Western Sahara conflict, with a particular focus on the interplay between natural gas resources and the shifting dynamics of Spanish, Moroccan, and Algerian relations. It explores how gas, a critical resource in the region’s geopolitics, influences Spain’s position in the conflict and underscores the broader implications for regional stability and international diplomacy.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF WESTERN SAHARA

Map of the Western Sahara

INTRODUCTION

The Western Sahara conflict is one of the most enduring territorial disputes in modern history, rooted in colonial legacies, regional rivalries, and the struggle for self-determination. Spanning over 266,000 square kilometers of largely arid desert, this resource-rich territory has become a focal point of geopolitical tension, involving Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania, and the Sahrawi people. At the heart of the dispute lies the question of Western Sahara’s sovereignty, which remains unresolved decades after Spain’s withdrawal in 1975.[i] While historical events such as the Green March and the formation of the Polisario Front have shaped the Western Sahara became a Spanish protectorate in the late 19th century, following European agreements to partition Africa during the Berlin Conference of 18841885.[1]

For Spain, Western Sahara offered both strategic and economic value. Rich in phosphate deposits and with access to lucrative fishing waters, the region was viewed as an essential component of Spain’s fading empire. However, Spanish control over Western Sahara was tenuous at best, with frequent resistance from indigenous Sahrawi tribes, particularly the nomadic Berber groups who rejected colonial rule.[ii]

In the mid-20th century, the tide of decolonization swept across Africa, challenging Spain’s hold on its territories. While many European powers relinquished their colonies in the aftermath of World War II, Spain’s authoritarian Franco regime held on to its remaining possessions, including Western Sahara, Equatorial Guinea, and Spanish Morocco. However, pressure mounted as Sahrawi nationalist movements gained momentum.[iii] 48 The rise of Sahrawi nationalism was a pivotal factor in challenging Spanish colonial authority. The formation of the Polisario Front (Frente Popular de Liberación de Saguía el-Hamra y Río de Oro) in 1973 marked a turning point in the region’s political struggle. Committed to armed resistance against Spanish rule, the Polisario Front sought to establish an independent Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR). Their guerrilla tactics, combined with diplomatic efforts to garner international support, significantly weakened Spain’s control over the region.[iv]

Meanwhile, neighbouring Morocco and Mauritania laid claim to Western Sahara, viewing it as part of their historical territories. Morocco, under King Hassan II, was particularly assertive, citing pre-colonial ties between Sahrawi tribes and the Moroccan monarchy.[v] Mauritania’s claims were weaker but nonetheless motivated by the potential economic benefits of controlling the territory’s resources.[vi] These competing claims created a complex geopolitical dynamic, further complicating Spain’s position.

Internationally, Spain faced mounting pressure to decolonize. The UN’s 1966 resolution called for a referendum to allow the Sahrawi people to decide their future. However, Spain’s reluctance to implement such measures led to increasing criticism. By the early 1970s, Spain found itself increasingly isolated, with both the UN and the Organization of African Unity (OAU) demanding concrete steps toward Sahrawi selfdetermination.[vii]

Franco’s Declining Power and the Green March

By the mid-1970s, Spain’s ability to maintain its colonial empire was severely undermined by domestic and international factors.[viii] Francisco Franco, who had ruled Spain since 1939[ix], was in declining health, and his regime faced growing internal dissent. The combination of economic stagnation, political unrest, and international isolation weakened Spain’s resolve to hold onto Western Sahara.[x]

In this context, King Hassan II of Morocco saw an opportunity to assert his claims over Western Sahara. In October 1975, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued an advisory opinion on the matter, acknowledging historical ties between Morocco, Mauritania, and Western Sahara but affirming the Sahrawis’ right to self-determination. Unfazed, Hassan II launched the Green March on November 6, 1975, mobilizing 350,000 Moroccan civilians to march unarmed into Western Sahara. The march was a calculated political maneuver, designed to pressure Spain into relinquishing control without provoking military confrontation.[xi]

The Green March placed Spain in an untenable position. With Franco’s imminent death and the regime’s weakened state, Spain sought to avoid conflict and international condemnation. On November 14, 1975, Spain signed the Madrid Accords with Morocco and Mauritania, agreeing to withdraw from Western Sahara and divide administrative control between the two neighboring states. Franco died six days later, on the 20th of November 1975. The agreement, however, was reached without the consent of the Sahrawi people or the Polisario Front, effectively sidelining their aspirations for independence.[xii]

THE ROLE OF GAS

In the spring of 2021 the Spanish city of Cueta, part of the Spanish territory in Northern Africa, was overrun with more than 10.000 migrants wanting to come to Europe, in only 36 hours. This was the result of Morocco relaxing its border controls and allowing the migrants to enter the Spanish territory. In March of 2022 a similar event happened to the Spanish city of Melilla, also part of the Spanish territory in Northern Africa. The use of migrants and border relaxation on the part of Morocco was the result of the Spanish break of neutrality about the Western Sahara question in 2007 when then social democratic Spanish prime mister Pedro Sánchez backed the Moroccan proposal to declare Western Sahara independent, but under the Moroccan crown.[xiii]

Spain’s position in the conflict is often viewed as ambivalent. On one hand, it has shown implicit support for Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara, aligning with broader European Union interests in stability and migration control. On the other hand, Spain faces domestic and international pressure to advocate for the Sahrawi people’s right to selfdetermination. Natural gas development in the region heightens this tension.[xiv]

Spain’s reliance on Algerian gas complicates its stance. Algeria, a staunch supporter of the Polisario Front, and the EU’s third biggest supplier of gas and a very important gas supplier for Spain in particularity, [xv] views Spanish support for Morocco’s territorial claims as a threat to its regional influence. The recent shifts in Spain’s policy, have strained Spain-Algeria relations, leading Algeria to reassess its gas supply agreements with Spain, and even to withdraw its ambassador from Madrid in 2022.[xvi] This underscores the broader geopolitical implications of energy resources in the Western Sahara conflict.

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CONCLUSION

The Western Sahara conflict is a complex issue shaped by historical legacies, geopolitical rivalries, and the region’s vast natural resources. Spain, as the former colonial power, finds itself entangled in the enduring dispute, navigating a precarious balance between its historical responsibilities, energy security, and contemporary diplomatic challenges. The region’s natural gas reserves, while not yet fully developed, have become a potent symbol of its economic potential and a point of contention among stakeholders.

Spain’s reliance on Algerian gas and its recent shift toward supporting Morocco’s autonomy plan reflect the intricate web of energy politics and regional alliances that underpin the conflict. This stance has strained Spain’s relations with Algeria while aligning it more closely with Moroccan interests, particularly in the realm of migration control and regional stability. At the same time, domestic and international advocacy for Sahrawi self-determination continues to pressure Spain to uphold principles of decolonization and human rights.

The unresolved status of Western Sahara exemplifies the broader challenges of post-colonial territorial disputes, where historical grievances, resource competition, and international power dynamics converge. As the region’s future unfolds, Spain’s role remains pivotal, underscoring the enduring impact of colonial histories on contemporary geopolitics. The path forward will require a delicate balance of diplomacy, respect for international law, and sustainable solutions that address the aspirations of the Sahrawi people while managing the competing interests of regional powers.

Gerben van den Hoff