North African states not bordering Western Sahara in the face of the problem of its independence

The issue of Western Sahara has been a major source of division in the North African region for over fifty years. This problem not only impacts political relations but also hinders economic cooperation. The division between states supporting Western Sahara's independence and those backing Morocco's stance has created strong polarisation, not only within the region but also across the African continent and the Middle East. The aim of this chapter is to analyse the attitudes of North African countries not bordering the territory of Western Sahara, namely Libya, Tunisia, and Egypt, toward the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) and the question of its independence, both before and after the Arab Spring. The analysis considers the region's history, with a focus on the Arab Spring as a significant turning point. The outbreak of the Arab Spring caused a political reshuffle in the North African states, and among many changes, there was also a shift in the approach of Libya and Egipt towards the Western Sahara issue, while Tunisia consistently attempted to implement a policy of positive neutrality.