Western Sahara and Migration

Abstract

I have been studying the Western Sahara conflict nearly over10 years, publishing various articles and giving several presentations. In order to begin to summarize the Western Saharan conflict, some arguments need a reference to Europe, for instance drugs, gun running and legal and illegal migration. In my article I shall examine arguments for the migration taking place in Western Sahara. Western Sahara is an organic part of the Maghreb region, where a considerable portion of African migrants depart to Western Europe. The antecedents of migration to Europe go back in history, since the population living here were in close contact with the early colonial powers, e.g. France and Spain, and with refugees from other African countries, who sought better living conditions (or indeed survival.)