Keywords
protracted conflict, western sahara, polisario, colonisation, IR theory, protracted social conflict, enduring rivalry, proxy warfare, zero-sum, Africa
Content Language
EN
Abstract
“There has never been a protracted war from which a country has benefited” (Tzu 1963: 73).
The forty-eight yearlong Western Sahara conflict over the former Spanish colony between Polisario and the Kingdom of Morocco continues its low prospects of resolution. The future of the territory, with both strategic geopolitical and financial relevance, remains uncertain in which the reasons for the continued prolongation appear to be many. Different conflict theories emphasise various factors causing protractedness, suggesting that many different causes, together, have engendered the current lack of settlement. Whilst the theory of protracted social conflicts emphasises developed high-tensioned, hostile relations between the conflicting parties as one factor causing protractedness, the theory of enduring rivalries suggests the lack of a major political shock can hinder the termination of conflicts. The general theory of proxy warfare postulates that external support and supply provide the conflicting parties with an added means to continue fighting, whereas the zero-sum game implies the disputing parties’ fear of losing full control over the objective to the opposing party keeps the conflict going no matter the length and costs. These four theories, together, provide significant justifications for the conflict’s prolongation, however, lack the scope to fully explain its unusual endurance. The Western Sahara conflict, therefore, seemingly demands a number of conflict theories to explain its long duration and lack of conflict resolution. The dynamic nature of the drivers of the Western Sahara conflict consequently demonstrates that war can persevere as a result of tensions caused by war.
Recommended Citation
Austrheim, Elisabeth H.
(2023)
"The Last Colony: Theoretical Explanations on the Protractedness of the Western Sahara Conflict,"
Journal of African Conflicts and Peace Studies:
Vol. 5:
Iss.
2, .
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/jacaps/vol5/iss2/1
