What resources and strategic importance make Western Sahara a significant geopolitical flashpoint?

Western Sahara contains enormous phosphate reserves critical for global agricultural supply chains and synthetic fertilizers, alongside potentially rich offshore natural gas deposits. The territory is increasingly recognized as a vital strategic crossroads for oil and gas pipelines from sub-Saharan Africa to Europe, making it crucial for energy trade routes to the European Union. Despite receiving less media coverage than other global conflicts, the dispute between Morocco and Algeria over Western Sahara carries enormous repercussions as the region's political status approaches a potential boiling point, threatening regional stability and resource access.