TINDOUF, Algeria — Western Sahara is the only African non-self-governing territory. It is often called Africa’s last colony, and the territory sparks controversy easily. For example, the African Union recently condemned the Crans Montana Forum on Africa, whose slogan is “Committed to a More Humane and Impartial World,” for meeting in the city of Dakhla, which is under Moroccan control.

Now the United States is drawing fire. President Barack Obama's administration is planning to approve a $1 million grant for civil society organizations in the region. Meanwhile, much of the Sahrawi indigenous population lives in refugee camps in southwest Algeria, waiting in exile for a United Nations referendum on independence promised a quarter century ago.

Al-Monitor spoke about this topic with Stephen Zunes, a professor of politics and international studies at the University of San Francisco, where he chairs the Middle Eastern studies program. “Pro-Moroccan elements in Congress have been putting enormous pressure on the Obama administration to end its prohibition against sending US foreign aid to Morocco in the occupied Western Sahara. They recently passed legislation, against the wishes of President Obama, requiring the State Department to allow the aid to be used in the territory,” he said.

Zunes is also a co-author of the book "Western Sahara: War, Nationalism, and Conflict Irresolution." According to him, Obama recognizes that sending aid directly to the Moroccan government for “so-called economic development in Western Sahara would just strengthen the occupation.” So Obama is hoping that aiding civil society groups could empower Sahrawis themselves and assert their political rights, Zunes said.