(Editor's note: On Thursday, President Donald Trump announced that the government of Morocco will be recognizing Israel. As part of the deal, the U.S. agreed to recognize Morocco's claim to disputed territory in the Western Sahara. Last year, Global Journalist talked to some of the people from the region who have been fighting for independence from Morocco. This is their story.)
Forty-four years after Spain pulled its colonial forces out, the people of Western Sahara are still waiting for independence.
Much of the territory is controlled by Morocco and about half the indigenous Sahawri languish in refugee camps in neighboring Algeria.
Yet outside the region, there's little news coverage as Morocco has effectively blocked most independent reporting from territory. On this edition of Global Journalist, a look at the Western Sahara conflict and how it has been shaped by the Moroccan information blockade.
Joining the program:
- Stephen Zunes, professor of politics and international relations, University of San Francisco
- Nazha El Khalidi, journalist and human rights activist, Equipe Media, Western Sahara
- Alfonso Armada, president, Reporters Without Borders - Spain
- Maria Carrión, executive director, FiSahara Film Festival
Assistant producers: Laura Miserez, Arianna Suardi Supervising producer: Trevor Hook Visual editor: Benjamin Brink Jr.