KEPENTINGAN AMERIKA SERIKAT DALAM KONFLIK WILAYAH SAHARA BARAT TAHUN 2017-2020

Abstract

This research purpose to know why USA support Morocco on Western Sahara region conflict. Western Sahara is a large area in North Africa whose status is currently unclear and is directly adjacent to Morocco. The United Nations grants it status as a nonself governing territory. Previously this area was a former Spanish colony. Spain later granted it independence. Instead of being freed from colonialism, Morocco then claimed this territory and sent 350,000 volunteers in 1975. The original inhabitants of Western Sahara, ethnic Sahrawis rejected the Moroccan claim and fought for the independence of Western Sahara by forming a group called the Polisario Front. Since 1991, a UNsupervised ceasefire has been established between the Polisario Front and Morocco. The quiet situation then heated up again in October 2020, there were attacks between Morocco and the Polisario Front. In the same year, in December, the Trump administration announced that it signed a proclamation recognizing the sovereignty of the Moroccan kingdom over Western Sahara. This attitude then led to debate. Where the United States should be a democratic country and reduce the situation to make peace, it has exacerbated the conflict. This research uses a pluralism perspective and foreign policy analysis theory. The method used is a qualitative research method with library data collection techniques from books, journals, articles, and the internet. The result show that USA support Morocco to stenghten alliance thereby shaping Mediterranean geopolitics and strengthening the economic and military strategy of the United States.

Keywords: regional conflict, foreign policy, alliance, United States of America, Morocco, Western Sahara

PENDAHULUAN