Art Moves Africa – Retracing Roots and Tracing New Routes: Mobility and Touring in North Africa

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Country-Specific Information
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MOBILITY TO/FROM
WESTERN SAHARA
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Mobility to and from the Polisario-controlled portion
of Western Sahara and its arts events goes
through Tindouf in Algeria, with flight connections
to Algiers, Oran, Constantine and Béchar.
Visas applications to enter the Tindouf camps
must be submitted to both the Algerian and
Sahrawi authorities. Sahrawi representations
are present in 39 European and African cities.
In North Africa, the only embassy is in Algiers.
For Sahrawis living in SADR-controlled areas,
visa applications are complicated. According to
Citizenship Rights Africa, a Sahrawi passport
exists but is only recognized by states that recognize
the self-determination of the SADR. Sahrawis
living in the camps may possess Algerian
passports, which are granted to refugees, but not
ID cards. Extensive additional documentation is
necessary to apply for a visa.
Sahrawis living in Moroccan-controlled territory
are eligible for Moroccan passports. Moroccan
visa regulations apply for entry into the Moroccancontrolled
zones, with land entry possible via
the south of Morocco or the north of Mauritania
although subject to closures and road travel
subject to frequent checkpoints.
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IMPEDIMENTS
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Costs
· The cost of travel is inaccessible to most Sahrawis,
who already live in extremely precarious
conditions.
· Cost of travel to Tindouf is also high, requiring
a flight connection via Algiers, Oran, Constantine
or Béchar.
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A flight from Algiers to Tindouf alone costs
more than a flight from Algiers to Paris. – Walid
Aidoud, visual artist, Founder of Box24 (Algiers)
and coordinator of Algerian participants at
Artifariti festival
Visas
· Visa procedures are complicated for Sahrawis
living in the Tindouf camps and visitors.
See Mobility above.
Isolation
· Networking opportunities for Sahrawis are
more or less limited to the two annual art
events. While these bring energy and new
ideas to local artists, they remain limited.
· Exchange with Mauritania could be improved,
given the common border.
This is a place that is cut off from the world.
There are little possibilities for people to interact
with the outside world. […] I’ve met
artists from Senegal, Tanzania, South Africa,
Mauritania, Tchad. The majority from Spain, but
there’s always someone from North America. I
wish we’d see more exchange with Mauritania.
There is great potential – we speak the same
dialect, we have the same traditions and poetry
and music; they’re almost identical, not unlike
the differences between Morocco, Tunisia and
Algeria. It’s stronger with the Mauritanians.
There’s a lot of exchange in music and poetry.
This is an oral culture. – Mohamed Sulaiman
Diplomatic tensions and disputes over
sovereignty
· Artists are at the centre of political disputes
over Sahrawi sovereignty. Access
to international events and opportunities is
conditional upon partner countries’ position
on Sahrawi sovereignty.
There is an embargo on the existence of Western
Sahara. Our association exists to spread
information, to be very clear on our position.
We try to base our work in humanitarian aid,
in strengthening the role of art and culture. I
have been subjected to many embargos. […]
We haven’t had Arab artists because no Arab
country [other than Algeria] recognizes
Western Sahara. – Walid Aidoud