While China and Russia increase their influence across Africa, the United States neglects the ongoing Western Sahara sovereignty crisis. The Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination remains unfulfilled, underscoring the urgent need for a fair referendum.

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The Western Sahara remains one of Africa’s longest-standing unresolved territorial disputes. Following Spain’s withdrawal in 1975, Morocco took control of most of the territory, while the indigenous Sahrawi people, represented by the Polisario Front, continue their struggle for independence.

This unresolved conflict has caused decades of displacement and instability in the Sahel region. Meanwhile, China and Russia are expanding their presence across Africa, filling the vacuum left by Western disengagement—particularly from the United States.

Spain’s colonial exit left Western Sahara vulnerable to invasion by Morocco and Mauritania. The Sahrawi people resisted through the Polisario Front, which declared the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic and sought independence. Although Mauritania withdrew its claims, Morocco has maintained control over approximately 80% of the territory.

The United Nations, supported by a U.S.-led initiative after the Gulf War, established a peacekeeping mission and planned a referendum to allow the Sahrawis to decide their future. However, Morocco has consistently obstructed these efforts, fearing the outcome of a free and fair vote. Hundreds of thousands of Sahrawis remain displaced in refugee camps near Tindouf, Algeria.

Many members of Congress have visited the Tindouf camps over the years and met with Polsiario leaders working in the camps. With Chinese and Russian influence mounting across Africa, more should do so to get the facts about the Sahrawi people. https://t.co/guFsrA5qrN

— John Bolton (@AmbJohnBolton) May 29, 2025

The conflict is intertwined with regional rivalries, especially between Morocco and Algeria. Algeria supports the Polisario Front and hosts Sahrawi refugees, while Morocco seeks to consolidate its territorial claims.

Recent military cooperation agreements between the U.S. and Algeria signal shifting alliances, yet Washington’s lack of decisive support for Sahrawi self-determination risks ceding influence to China and Russia, who are actively deepening ties across Africa. Supporting a fair referendum is essential not only for justice and human rights but also for maintaining balanced geopolitical relations on the continent.

The Western Sahara sovereignty dispute remains a critical issue requiring renewed international attention. Upholding the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination through a transparent referendum is vital for regional stability and for countering growing global powers’ influence in Africa.

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