60 Questions
What is the name of the Arab organization that sent its Secretary-General to the region in the Western Sahara conflict?
Arab League (LAS)
In what year did the Moroccan March take place in the Western Sahara conflict?
October 16, 1975–April 14, 1976
Which of the following organizations passed a resolution on October 22, 1975, calling for restraint in the Western Sahara conflict?
United Nations (UN)
What was the name of the state established by Polisario in 1976?
Saharan Arab Democratic Republic (SADR)
How many crises were there between Morocco and Polisario-SADR from 1975 to 1989?
10
What was the location of the area where Polisario forces achieved a major victory over Moroccan troops?
North of Morocco, in the direction of Western Sahara
Which international organization did Polisario submit documents to, charging collusion between Morocco and South Africa?
Non-Aligned Movement
What was the outcome of the Security Council meetings from June 15 to 25?
No resolution, but continued discussions
Why did Morocco request the indefinite suspension of the Security Council debate on the issue?
Because of a lowering of tensions, since Polisario attacks in June had ceased
What was the name of the operation launched by Morocco in March 1980?
Operation Iman
What is the outcome of the Western Sahara conflict despite the presence of three conditions likely to lead to resolution?
unresolved
How many conditions from the Con ct Resolution Model were present in the Western Sahara conflict?
three
What is the primary reason for the absence of conflict resolution in the Western Sahara conflict?
incompatible objectives by the principal adversaries
What was the outcome of foreign pressure on the conflict from the late 1980s to 2008?
no significant impact
What is the current state of relations between the political regimes and/or societies of Morocco and Polisario-SADR?
no evidence of reconciliation
What is the primary objective of Morocco in the Western Sahara conflict?
Formal integration of Western Sahara into Morocco
How did the frequency of conflict-sustaining acts in Western Sahara change between 1975 and 1990?
It remained steady with frequent crises
What has been the outcome of the two Baker Plans and direct negotiations between 2007-2008?
Unsuccessful attempts at conflict resolution
What is the primary objective of Polisario-SADR in the Western Sahara conflict?
Achieving independence for Western Sahara
How did the decline in conflict-sustaining acts after 1990 affect the conflict resolution efforts?
It facilitated several attempts at conflict resolution
The Western Sahara conflict is a solely intra-state conflict.
False
The UN Security Council passed a resolution on October 22, 1975, calling for compromise between Morocco and Polisario.
False
The Organization of African Union (OAU) sent its Secretary-General to the region to mediate the crisis.
False
The Western Sahara conflict has been ongoing for over 40 years.
True
Mauritania was not involved in the Western Sahara conflict from the beginning.
False
Morocco and Polisario sought UN intervention by summoning ambassadors of the five permanent Security Council members to their Foreign Ministry.
True
The Security Council passed a resolution to manage the crisis between Morocco and Polisario.
False
Polisario submitted documents to the UN, the OAU, and the Non-Aligned Movement, charging Morocco of attacking Western Sahara.
False
Morocco launched Operation Iman in response to a major victory of Polisario forces over a column of Moroccan troops.
True
The crisis between Morocco and Polisario was resolved after the Security Council meetings from June 15 to 25.
False
The Western Sahara conflict has been resolved through third-party mediation efforts.
False
The frequency of conflict-sustaining acts in Western Sahara increased between 1975 and 1990.
False
Morocco and Polisario-SADR have shown a willingness to compromise on their primary objectives.
False
The decline in conflict-sustaining acts after 1990 hindered conflict resolution efforts.
False
Polisario-SADR has maintained control over the disputed territory in Western Sahara.
False
The Western Sahara conflict has been resolved due to the presence of three conditions likely to lead to resolution.
False
Foreign pressure from the late 1980s to 2008 contributed to the resolution of the Western Sahara conflict.
False
There has been reconciliation between the political regimes and/or societies of Morocco and Polisario-SADR.
False
Three of the six conditions postulated in the Con ct Resolution Model were present in the Western Sahara conflict.
True
The presence of conditions likely to lead to resolution guarantees conflict resolution.
False
What was the significance of the June 15 meeting of the Security Council in the context of the Western Sahara conflict?
The meeting sought to manage the crisis through discussions, but no resolution was passed.
What was the outcome of Polisario's submission of documents to the UN, the OAU, and the Non-Aligned Movement?
There was no response.
What was the significance of Operation Iman in the context of the Western Sahara conflict?
It was a major crisis for Morocco, precipitated by a major victory of Polisario forces over a column of Moroccan troops.
What was the impact of Morocco's request for the indefinite suspension of the Security Council debate on the issue?
It constituted negative crisis management.
What was the outcome of Morocco's efforts to clear an area in the north of Morocco, in the direction of Western Sahara?
Polisario forces achieved a major victory over a column of Moroccan troops.
What was the role of the United Nations in managing the Western Sahara conflict from its onset in 1975?
The UN was active in attempted multilateral crisis management, with the Security Council passing a resolution calling for restraint and requesting the UN Secretary-General to initiate negotiations.
What were the three principal adversaries involved in the Western Sahara conflict?
The three principal adversaries were Morocco, Polisario (also known as the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR)), and Mauritania (in the early years).
What was the outcome of the crisis management efforts by the international community in the Western Sahara conflict?
All crisis management efforts failed due to the refusal of Morocco and Polisario to compromise.
In what year did the Moroccan March take place, and what was the context of this event?
The Moroccan March took place from October 16, 1975, to April 14, 1976, in the context of the Western Sahara conflict.
What has been the primary objective of Morocco in the Western Sahara conflict?
Formal integration into Morocco
How many crises occurred between Morocco and Polisario-SADR from 1975 to 1990?
10 crises
What is the current status of the Western Sahara conflict?
The conflict is currently dormant, having been ongoing for over 43 years.
What has been the outcome of conflict resolution efforts despite the decline in conflict-sustaining acts since 1990?
The goal of conflict resolution remains elusive
What has been the primary objective of Polisario-SADR in the Western Sahara conflict?
Independence
What change occurred in the frequency of conflict-sustaining acts in Western Sahara between 1975 and 1990?
A steady flow
What are the three conditions from the Conflict Resolution Model that were present in the Western Sahara conflict?
Changes in the Balance of Capability, External Pressures on the adversaries, and a Decline in Conflict-sustaining Acts
What is the main obstacle to resolving the Western Sahara conflict despite the presence of conducive conditions?
Rigidly incompatible objectives by the principal adversaries, especially Morocco
What is the current state of relations between the political regimes and/or societies of Morocco and Polisario-SADR?
There is no evidence of Reconciliation
What was the outcome of the foreign pressure on the conflict from the late 1980s to 2008?
It was not sufficient to attain conflict resolution
What is the primary reason for the Western Sahara conflict remaining unresolved?
The absence of collective exhaustion by both adversaries
Study Notes
Western Sahara Conflict: Crisis Management and Resolution
- The Western Sahara conflict, a 43-year-old interstate-intra-state conflict in Africa, involves three principal adversaries: Morocco, Polisario (also known as the Saharan Arab Democratic Republic (SADR)), and Mauritania (in the early years).
Crisis Management (1975-1989)
- The United Nations was active in attempted multilateral crisis management from the onset of the conflict.
- The Security Council passed a resolution on October 22, 1975, calling for restraint and requesting the UN Secretary-General to initiate negotiations.
- Negotiations were conducted on October 26-28, and the Security Council met twice in November.
- Mediation was attempted by the Secretary-General and his Representative in March-April 1976.
- The Arab League sent its Secretary-General to the region, at the request of the Organization of African Union (OAU) [later, African Union (AU)].
Crisis Management Failures
- All attempts at crisis management failed due to the refusal of Morocco and Polisario to compromise.
- The Moroccan March (October 16, 1975-April 14, 1976) exemplifies negative crisis management.
Reduction in Discordant Objective
- Both principal adversaries have remained committed to their primary objectives throughout the conflict:
- Morocco: formal integration into Morocco
- Polisario-SADR: independence
- There has never been any reduction in discordance in their diametrically opposed core objectives.
Decline in Conflict-Sustaining Acts
- During the first 15 years of the unresolved conflict (1975-1990), there was a steady flow of conflict-sustaining acts in Western Sahara.
- However, since 1990, the conflict has been dormant, with no military-security crises between the principal adversaries.
- This decline in hostile acts has facilitated several attempts at conflict resolution, including the two Baker Plans in 2001 and 2003, and direct negotiations in 2007-2008.
Obstacles to Conflict Resolution
- The enduring obstacles to conflict resolution remain:
- Rigidly incompatible objectives by the principal adversaries, especially Morocco
- Absence of collective exhaustion by both adversaries
- As a result, the Western Sahara conflict remains unresolved, with no evidence of reconciliation between the political regimes and/or societies of Morocco and Polisario-SADR.
Test your knowledge of the Conflict Resolution Model, including the conditions that lead to resolution of interstate protracted conflicts, with a focus on the Western Sahara conflict.
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