Western Sahara is a sparsely-populated area of mostly desert situated on the northwest coast of Africa. A former Spanish colony, it was annexed by Morocco in 1975. ... Image source, Getty Images.

06/06/2025 June 6, 2025. The UK has joined other European countries in endorsing Morocco's position in the Western Sahara conflict. Algeria and the independence-seeking Polisario are losing out.

The UK has backed Morocco's plan for ending a territorial conflict in Western Sahara, as part of a deal that will secure lucrative investment projects in the 2030 men's football World Cup.