This chronic conflict has contributed to deepening the division of the Maghreb and widening the gap between its components.
The main conflict parties view the ongoing war in the Western Sahara as an ideological gain and interests for one party at the expense of the other, while for external powers it represents a profit once the crisis continues, and a pressure card used by the major countries in their international relations and personal interests. Hence, this issue was left in the “resuscitation room” to be recalled whenever these forces wanted.
This study shows that the problem of the Western Sahara is an old-modern problem that is intractable. Its importance stems from the connotations occupied by the various interactions in the conflict zone, and its impact on states, their stability and national security, and its repercussions on international relations.
The strategic importance of the Western Sahara
Western Sahara is one of the jewels of the Arab and Islamic world, rich in economic resources, natural resources and a strategic location that constitutes the link between the countries of the region, which made it the subject of ambitions and competition of external powers throughout the ages.
Mauritania, to the east by Algeria, and to the west by the Atlantic Ocean
Western Sahara enjoys a place in the assessments and calculations of the major Western countries, which are factors that led Western countries to intervene in the region and try to control it.
The Western Desert stores in its interior a rich mineral wealth of gold, copper, diamonds, uranium, huge reserves of oil, gas, coal and important sources of renewable energy, in addition to the largest phosphate mine in the world that was discovered in 1947 in the Boucraa area, in addition to iron, which the last geological survey of the region confirmed the presence of nearly 10 billion tons of it.
It also contains more than ten sabkhas that form huge salt reservoirs.
Excavation efforts have led to the discovery of many other ores in the region, such as ores of copper, manganese, iron, marble, zircon and titan.
The coasts of Western Sahara are considered one of the richest areas in the world in fish wealth and the most diverse of fish and mollusks.
Source : book " North Africa and the problem of Western Sahara" by Hamid Al-Rawi