Western Sahara Remains “Non-Self-Governing Territory” Under “Unfinished Decolonization Process”

Spain’s withdrawal from Western Sahara in 1975 and its subsequent occupation by Morocco did not change the status of this territory, affirms Spanish writer and journalist Victoria Corera, emphasizing that Western Sahara remains “a non-self-governing territory” subject to an “unfinished decolonization process.” “For the United Nations, Western Sahara has neither ceased to be a non-self-governing territory, nor ceased to be subject to an unfinished decolonization process, and it has never been legally integrated into another State,” as written in an article published on the platform “Don’t Forget Western Sahara.”

The writer noted that the international organization “continues to consider that the core issue, namely the exercise by the Sahrawi people of their right to self-determination, remained unresolved.” “That is why, decades later, Western Sahara still appears on the official list of territories awaiting decolonization,” she noted, adding that this status carries clear legal implications.

“It means the Sahrawi people retain an internationally recognized collective right to determine their political future, and any lasting solution must reflect their freely expressed will,” she said.

The Spanish journalist said this status also means “no state can claim sovereignty through occupation or through agreements that disregard the population.” “In this matter, the international law tolerates no shortcuts,” she emphasized.

For Victoria Corera, the status of non-self-governing territory establishes “an inescapable legal framework.” “As long as a valid act of self-determination has not taken place, the decolonization process remains open and the situation cannot be considered settled,” she added.

This is why she considers it “misleading” to present Western Sahara as a simple “territorial dispute” or as a bilateral conflict between States.

“This way of describing reality dilutes the essential element of the problem and shifts the focus away from the rights of a people to geopolitical balances that are foreign to it. Language is never innocent and, in this specific case, it contributes to normalizing a situation that international law has never normalized,” she said.