This book commemorates the 50th anniversary of the International Court of Justice’s Advisory Opinion on the Western Sahara, bringing together leading international legal scholars to explore and critically assess the enduring relevance and implications of the Opinion. It offers a comprehensive and authoritative analysis of the main legal issues surrounding the status of the Western Sahara, including self-determination, territorial sovereignty, decolonization, and the role of international institutions. By providing historical context, legal interpretation, and contemporary perspectives, the volume serves as a definitive reference for scholars, practitioners, and policymakers interested in international law, conflict resolution, and the ongoing legal dimensions of the Western Sahara question.
Stephen Allen is a Senior Lecturer in Law at Queen Mary, University of London, and a practising barrister. He has published several research monographs and co-edited several books, most recently Allen and Trinidad, The Western Sahara Question and International Law: Recognition Doctrine and Self-determination (Routledge, 2024) and The Oxford Handbook of Jurisdiction in International Law (OUP, 2019).
João Francisco Diogo is an assistant Lecturer and PhD candidate at NOVA School of Law. He holds a Master’s Degree in Political Science and International Relations by the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities of NOVA University of Lisbon and a Bachelor’s Degree by NOVA School of Law. He is a member of CEDIS Research Center at NOVA School of Law.
Andrea Mensi is an adjunct Professor at Catholic University of Milan and a practicing attorney. He has a strong experience in advising States and international organizations on various areas of public international law. He is also a counsel admitted before the African Court of Human and Peoples’ Rights. He is the author of Indigenous Peoples, Natural Resources and Permanent Sovereignty (Brill, 2021).
Francisco Pereira Coutinho is an Associate Professor at NOVA School of Law in Lisbon, where he directs the Observatories of Portuguese Legislation and Data Protection Law, as well as the Moot Court Program. His most recent books dives into the topics of secession and self-determination in Europe (Almedina, 2021) and European constitutional law (Petrony, 2023).