Then they drew it right
Article image

After having called Western Sahara a part of Morocco for years, the organisers of Paris-Dakar rally finally succeeded in drawing a correct map. See the route for 2008.

Published 25 November 2007

The annual Paris-Dakar rally has for several years crossed Western Sahara. The first part goes through the area north of the city of Smara, under Moroccan occupation. The second part goes through the Polisario-controlled parts of Western Sahara for a few kilometers before the competitors enter Mauritania.

But for several years the organisers of the event have failed to name Western Sahara an independent country, to the anger of Polisario.

But now the map designer has finally got the picture right. 

Download the route for 2008 here. 

The rally takes place in January 2008.

New report: Sahrawi students beaten, isolated and denied medical care in Moroccan prisons

They were beaten with batons until they nearly lost consciousness and threatened with rape if they did not confess. This is the testimony of recently released Sahrawi students in a new report following a decade in Moroccan prisons.

07 September 2026

Family fears for human rights defender after days without contact

The family of Saharawi human rights defender and political prisoner Naâma Asfari says it has had no contact with him since Monday. Asfari is now on the 40th day of his hunger strike, and his family fears for his life and health.

19 July 2026

Trial underway over firebombing of our partner in Denmark

A trial has begun in Copenhagen against four men accused of carrying out the January 2025 arson attack on the offices of our partner Global Aktion.

15 June 2026

Film Festival Silences Saharawi Voices

The Moroccan film festival Dakhla International Film Festival is rapidly deleting critical comments from its social media channels.

08 June 2026