Western SaharaWestern Sahara is a territory of North Africa, bordered by Morocco to the north, Algeria to the northeast, Mauritania to the east and south, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. Its surface area amounts to . It is one of the most sparsely populated territories in the world, mainly consisting of...
, formerly the
Spanish colonyThe Spanish Empire was one of the largest empires in world history, and one of the first global empires. It included territories and colonies in Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia and Oceania, from the 15th century through—in the case of its African holdings—the latter portion of the 20th century...
of
Spanish SaharaSpanish Sahara was the name used for the modern territory of Western Sahara when it was ruled as a territory by Spain between 1884 and 1975. The territory represented one of the last remnants of the Spanish Empire, and was abandoned under internal pressures from native populations and the external...
, is a disputed territory claimed by the
Kingdom of MoroccoMorocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country located in North Africa with a population of nearly 32 million and an area just under . Its capital is Rabat, and its largest city is Casablanca. Morocco has a coast on the Atlantic Ocean that reaches past the Strait of Gibraltar into the...
and the
Polisario FrontThe Polisario, Polisario Front, or Frente Polisario, from the Spanish abbreviation of Frente Popular de Liberación de Saguía el Hamra y Río de Oro is a Sahrawi rebel movement working for the independence of Western Sahara from Morocco...
. Its
legal status remains unresolved.
The territory is mostly administered as the
Southern ProvincesThe Southern Provinces or Moroccan Sahara are the Moroccan names for Western Sahara in reference to the provinces of Río de Oro and Saguia el-Hamra. Following the Madrid Accords with Spain in 1975, Morocco took control of Saguia el-Hamra, and the northern part of Rio de Oro, while Mauritania took...
by Morocco since
SpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.
[The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though España , Estado español and Nación española are used interchangeably...]
handed over the territory to Morocco and
MauritaniaMauritania , officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, is a country in northwest Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean on the west, by Senegal on the southwest, by Mali on the east and southeast, by Algeria on the northeast, and by the Morocco-controlled Western Sahara on the northwest...
after the
Madrid AccordsThe Madrid Accords, also called Madrid Agreement or Madrid Pact, was a treaty between Spain, Morocco, and Mauritania to end the Spanish presence in the territory of Spanish Sahara, which was until the Madrid Accords' inception a Spanish province and former colony. It was signed in Madrid on...
in 1975-76. Part of the territory, the Free Zone, is controlled by the
Polisario FrontThe Polisario, Polisario Front, or Frente Polisario, from the Spanish abbreviation of Frente Popular de Liberación de Saguía el Hamra y Río de Oro is a Sahrawi rebel movement working for the independence of Western Sahara from Morocco...
as the
Sahrawi Arab Democratic RepublicThe Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic is a partially recognised state which claims sovereignty over the entire territory of Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony. SADR was proclaimed by the Polisario Front on February 27, 1976...
. A UN-administered cease-fire has been in effect since September, 1991.
In order to resolve the
sovereigntySovereignty is the quality of having supreme, independent authority over a territory. It can be found in a power to rule and make law that rests on a political fact for which no purely legal explanation can be provided...
issue, the
United NationsThe United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and the achieving of world peace...
(UN) has attempted to hold a
referendumA referendum , ballot question, or plebiscite is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal...
through the mission
United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western SaharaMINURSO is the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara. The name is a French acronym for "Mission des Nations unies pour l'Organisation d'un Référendum au Sahara Occidental" — United Nations Mission for the organization of a Referendum in Western Sahara.-Purpose of the mission:MINURSO...
(MINURSO), and is holding direct talks between the kingdom of Morocco and the Polisario Front.
The position of the
Kingdom of Morocco is that all of Western Sahara is an integral part of the Kingdom.
Western SaharaWestern Sahara is a territory of North Africa, bordered by Morocco to the north, Algeria to the northeast, Mauritania to the east and south, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. Its surface area amounts to . It is one of the most sparsely populated territories in the world, mainly consisting of...
, formerly the
Spanish colonyThe Spanish Empire was one of the largest empires in world history, and one of the first global empires. It included territories and colonies in Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia and Oceania, from the 15th century through—in the case of its African holdings—the latter portion of the 20th century...
of
Spanish SaharaSpanish Sahara was the name used for the modern territory of Western Sahara when it was ruled as a territory by Spain between 1884 and 1975. The territory represented one of the last remnants of the Spanish Empire, and was abandoned under internal pressures from native populations and the external...
, is a disputed territory claimed by the
Kingdom of MoroccoMorocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country located in North Africa with a population of nearly 32 million and an area just under . Its capital is Rabat, and its largest city is Casablanca. Morocco has a coast on the Atlantic Ocean that reaches past the Strait of Gibraltar into the...
and the
Polisario FrontThe Polisario, Polisario Front, or Frente Polisario, from the Spanish abbreviation of Frente Popular de Liberación de Saguía el Hamra y Río de Oro is a Sahrawi rebel movement working for the independence of Western Sahara from Morocco...
. Its
legal status remains unresolved.
The territory is mostly administered as the
Southern ProvincesThe Southern Provinces or Moroccan Sahara are the Moroccan names for Western Sahara in reference to the provinces of Río de Oro and Saguia el-Hamra. Following the Madrid Accords with Spain in 1975, Morocco took control of Saguia el-Hamra, and the northern part of Rio de Oro, while Mauritania took...
by Morocco since
SpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.
[The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though España , Estado español and Nación española are used interchangeably...]
handed over the territory to Morocco and
MauritaniaMauritania , officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, is a country in northwest Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean on the west, by Senegal on the southwest, by Mali on the east and southeast, by Algeria on the northeast, and by the Morocco-controlled Western Sahara on the northwest...
after the
Madrid AccordsThe Madrid Accords, also called Madrid Agreement or Madrid Pact, was a treaty between Spain, Morocco, and Mauritania to end the Spanish presence in the territory of Spanish Sahara, which was until the Madrid Accords' inception a Spanish province and former colony. It was signed in Madrid on...
in 1975-76. Part of the territory, the Free Zone, is controlled by the
Polisario FrontThe Polisario, Polisario Front, or Frente Polisario, from the Spanish abbreviation of Frente Popular de Liberación de Saguía el Hamra y Río de Oro is a Sahrawi rebel movement working for the independence of Western Sahara from Morocco...
as the
Sahrawi Arab Democratic RepublicThe Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic is a partially recognised state which claims sovereignty over the entire territory of Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony. SADR was proclaimed by the Polisario Front on February 27, 1976...
. A UN-administered cease-fire has been in effect since September, 1991.
In order to resolve the
sovereigntySovereignty is the quality of having supreme, independent authority over a territory. It can be found in a power to rule and make law that rests on a political fact for which no purely legal explanation can be provided...
issue, the
United NationsThe United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and the achieving of world peace...
(UN) has attempted to hold a
referendumA referendum , ballot question, or plebiscite is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal...
through the mission
United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western SaharaMINURSO is the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara. The name is a French acronym for "Mission des Nations unies pour l'Organisation d'un Référendum au Sahara Occidental" — United Nations Mission for the organization of a Referendum in Western Sahara.-Purpose of the mission:MINURSO...
(MINURSO), and is holding direct talks between the kingdom of Morocco and the Polisario Front.
Kingdom of Morocco
The position of the
Kingdom of Morocco is that all of Western Sahara is an integral part of the Kingdom. The Moroccan government refers to Western Sahara only as the "Sahara," "Moroccan Sahara," "Saharan provinces," or the "Southern Provinces". Western Sahara is the historical birthplace of one of the most successful Moroccan ruling dynasties, the
AlmoravidsThe Almoravids are a Berber dynasty of Sahara, which lived between the current Senegal and south of the current Morocco It is affiliated to the Berber tribe of Sanhadja and Lemtuna...
. In 1958, the Moroccan Liberation Army of the South fought Spanish colonizers and almost liberated what was then
Spanish SaharaSpanish Sahara was the name used for the modern territory of Western Sahara when it was ruled as a territory by Spain between 1884 and 1975. The territory represented one of the last remnants of the Spanish Empire, and was abandoned under internal pressures from native populations and the external...
. Among the veterans of the Moroccan Southern Army are fathers of many of the Polisario leaders, like the father of Mohammed Abdelaziz, the Polisario leader. Morocco is supported in this view by a number of former Polisario founders and leaders. The Polisario Front is considered by Morocco to be a Moroccan
separatistSeparatism is the advocacy of a state of cultural, ethnic, tribal, religious, racial, governmental or gender separation from the larger group, often with demands for greater political autonomy and even for full political secession and the formation of a new state...
movement, referring to the Moroccan origins of most of its founding members, and its self-proclaimed SADR to be a
puppet stateThe term puppet state describes a nominal sovereignty controlled effectively by a foreign power. The term refers to a government controlled by the government of another country like a puppeteer controls the strings of a marionette...
used by
AlgeriaAlgeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, is a country located in North Africa. It is the largest country on the Mediterranean sea, the second largest on the African continent and the eleventh-largest country in the world in terms of land area.It is bordered by Tunisia in...
to fight a
proxy warA proxy war is a war that results when two powers use third parties as substitutes for fighting each other directly.While powers have sometimes used whole governments as proxies, terrorist groups, mercenaries, or other third parties are more often employed...
against Morocco.
Polisario Front
The position of the
Polisario FrontThe Polisario, Polisario Front, or Frente Polisario, from the Spanish abbreviation of Frente Popular de Liberación de Saguía el Hamra y Río de Oro is a Sahrawi rebel movement working for the independence of Western Sahara from Morocco...
is that Western Sahara is an
occupied territoryBelligerent military occupation occurs when the control and authority over a territory passes to a hostile army.-Military occupation and the laws of war:...
, the rightful government of which is the exiled Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR). The Polisario Front calls for the right of self-determination of the people of Western Sahara to be decided through a referendum. Although the SADR is not recognised as a state by the UN, Polisario is considered as a direct party in the conflict. The SADR is a member of the African Union.
Algeria
Algeria has been supporting the independence of Western Sahara diplomatically since 1975. In 1976, Algeria got involved directly in the conflict, but after a military confrontation at
AmgalaAmgala is an oasis in Western Sahara. It is situated between Tifariti, Smara and Meharrize, to the east of the Moroccan Wall, in the Polisario-held part of Western Sahara....
against the Moroccan Army, the Algerian role became that of an indirectly involved party through political and military support to the
Polisario frontThe Polisario, Polisario Front, or Frente Polisario, from the Spanish abbreviation of Frente Popular de Liberación de Saguía el Hamra y Río de Oro is a Sahrawi rebel movement working for the independence of Western Sahara from Morocco...
. Morocco argues that the Algerian position is due to the
Sand WarThe Sand War or Sands War occurred along the Algerian-Moroccan border in October 1963, and was a Moroccan attempt to claim the Tindouf and the Bechar areas that France had annexed to French Algeria a few decades earlier.- Background :...
of 1963.
United Nations
Western Sahara was first placed, by Moroccan demand, on the UN list of territories to be
decolonizedDecolonization refers to the undoing of colonialism, the establishment of governance or authority through the creation of settlements by another country or jurisdiction. The term generally refers to the achievement of independence by the various Western colonies and protectorates in Asia and...
in the 1960s when it was still a Spanish colony. It has retained that status since then due to the persistence of the conflict. The UN has been involved since 1988 to find a solution to the conflict through
self-determinationSelf-determination is defined as free choice of one’s own acts without external compulsion; and especially as the freedom of the people of a given territory to determine their own political status. In other words, it is the right of the people of a nation to decide how they want to be governed...
. In 1988, the kingdom of Morocco and the Polisario Front agreed to settle the dispute through a
referendumA referendum , ballot question, or plebiscite is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal...
under the auspices of the UN, that would allow the people of Western Sahara to choose between independence or integration with Morocco. In 1991, a
ceasefireA ceasefire is a temporary stoppage of a war in which each side agrees with the other to suspend aggressive actions. Ceasefires may be declared as part of a formal treaty, but they have also been called as part of an informal understanding between opposing forces.-World War I:On December 24, 1914,...
was
agreedThe Settlement Plan was an agreement between the Polisario Front and Morocco on the organization of a referendum, which would constitute an expression of self-determination for the people of Western Sahara, leading either to full independence, or integration with the kingdom of Morocco...
between the parties, contingent on the referendum being held the following year. Due to disputes over voter qualification, the vote has still not been held, and Morocco has made it clear in 2000 that henceforth it will not consider any option leading to the independence of the territory, and instead, is now proposing autonomy within Morocco. Lately, the UN has argued for negotiations between the parties to overcome the deadlock, culminating in the
Manhasset negotiationsThe Manhasset negotiations were a series of talks that took place in four rounds in 2007-2008 at Manhasset, New York between the Moroccan government and the representatives of the Saharawi liberation movement, the Polisario Front to resolve the Western Sahara conflict...
.
African Union
The
African UnionThe African Union is an intergovernmental organization consisting of 52 African states. Established on July 9 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organization of African Unity...
(formerly the Organization of African Unity) has given the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic full recognition, and accepted it as a member (which has led Morocco to leave the union, becoming the only
AfricaAfrica is the world's second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area. With a billion people in 61 territories, it accounts for about 14.8% of the...
n
stateA sovereign state is a political association with effective internal and external sovereignty over a geographic area and population which is not dependent on, or subject to any other power or state...
outside of it.)
Recognition
The SADR is
recognizedDiplomatic recognition in international law is a unilateral political act, with domestic and international legal consequences, whereby a state acknowledges an act or status of another state or government...
by
46 states. States that don't recognize the Sahrawi republic may, however, recognize the Polisario Front as a legitimate representative of the Sahrawi people, but not its exile government as a state. Several states have withdrawn their recognition of the SADR. Although Morocco claims that no recognition is required, Moroccan sovereignty over the territory is supported by the
Arab LeagueThe Arab League , officially called the League of Arab States , is a regional organization of Arab states in Southwest Asia, and North and Northeast Africa. It was formed in Cairo on March 22, 1945 with six members: Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan , Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Syria...
and by some other states as a
policy of deliberate ambiguityA policy of deliberate ambiguity is the practice by a country of being intentionally ambiguous on certain aspects of its foreign policy or whether it possesses certain weapons of mass destruction...
.
States recognizing the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (Western Sahara)
The following is a list of state
governmentA government is the body within a community, political entity or organization which has the authority to make and enforce rules, laws and regulations.....
s that have formally recognized Western Sahara as a sovereign nation, with the exiled Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic as its legitimate government. The vast majority of recognitions took place during the
Cold WarThe Cold War was the continuing state of political conflict, military tension, and economic competition existing after World War II , primarily between the USSR and its satellite states, and the powers of the Western world, including the United States...
. Since the 1990s, many states have retracted their recognitions, or suspended recognition pending the outcome of the referendum on self-determination. Although the Spanish Government has vacillated on the issue, King Juan Carlos I os
SpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.
[The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though España , Estado español and Nación española are used interchangeably...]
has expressed support for the right to self-determintation in Western Sahara.
- Twenty-eight recognize the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. Thirteen of them are home to Sahrawi embassies
- Thirty-seven have recognized the SADR, then suspended relations or withdrawn recognition.
| Number |
State |
Date of recognition |
Member of |
Notes |
| 1 |
Algeria |
6 March 1976 |
Arab League
AUThe African Union is an intergovernmental organization consisting of 52 African states. Established on July 9 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organization of African Unity...
OIC
AMUThe Arab Maghreb Union is a Pan-Arab trade agreement aiming for economic and political unity in North Africa....
|
Embassy. |
| 2 |
Angola |
11 March 1976 |
AUThe African Union is an intergovernmental organization consisting of 52 African states. Established on July 9 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organization of African Unity...
|
Embassy. |
| 3 |
Antigua and Barbuda |
27 February 1987 |
|
|
| 4 |
Barbados |
27 February 1988 |
|
|
| 5 |
Belarus |
20 January 1995 |
|
|
| 6 |
Belize |
18 November 1986http://64.106.163.228/library/bze_treaties/bi_lateral.php |
|
|
| 7 |
Bolivia |
14 December 1982 |
|
|
| 8 |
Botswana |
14 May 1980 |
AUThe African Union is an intergovernmental organization consisting of 52 African states. Established on July 9 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organization of African Unity...
|
Embassy |
| 9 |
Burundi |
1 March 1976 |
AUThe African Union is an intergovernmental organization consisting of 52 African states. Established on July 9 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organization of African Unity...
|
Froze recognition 5 May 2006 33 and reinstated them 2008-06-17 |
| 10 |
Cambodia |
10 April 1979 |
|
|
| 11 |
Cuba |
20 January 1980 |
|
Embassy. |
| 12 |
Dominica |
1 September 1979 |
|
|
| 13 |
Ecuador |
14 November 1983 |
|
Withdrawn 19 June 2004; Relations resumed 8 February 2006. http://www.eluniverso.com/2005/10/04/8/ed9184d8a4784813a2aced300a35a0a0.html?EUID= |
| 14 |
Ethiopia |
24 February 1979 |
AUThe African Union is an intergovernmental organization consisting of 52 African states. Established on July 9 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organization of African Unity...
|
Embassy. |
| 15 |
Grenada |
20 August 1979 |
|
|
| 16 |
Guinea-Bissau |
15 March 1976 |
AUThe African Union is an intergovernmental organization consisting of 52 African states. Established on July 9 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organization of African Unity...
|
Relations suspended 2 April 1997; Relations resumed and embassy re-opened 26 September 2000. |
| 17 |
Guyana |
1 September 1979 |
|
|
| 18 |
Haiti |
23 November 2006 |
|
Embassy.http://www.spsrasd.info/sps-e231106.htmlhttp://www.lenouvelliste.com/article.php?PubID=1&ArticleID=36872&PubDate=2006-11-24 |
| 19 |
India |
1 October 1985 |
|
Relations suspended 26 June 2000. |
| 20 |
Iran |
27 February 1980http://www.arso.org/01-e05-0102.htm |
OIC |
Embassy. |
| 21 |
Jamaica |
4 September 1979 |
|
|
| 22 |
Kenya |
1 October 1985 |
AUThe African Union is an intergovernmental organization consisting of 52 African states. Established on July 9 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organization of African Unity...
|
|
| 23 |
Laos |
7 May 1979 |
|
|
| 24 |
Lesotho |
9 October 1979 |
AUThe African Union is an intergovernmental organization consisting of 52 African states. Established on July 9 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organization of African Unity...
|
|
| 25 |
Libya |
15 April 1980 |
Arab League
AUThe African Union is an intergovernmental organization consisting of 52 African states. Established on July 9 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organization of African Unity...
OIC
AMUThe Arab Maghreb Union is a Pan-Arab trade agreement aiming for economic and political unity in North Africa....
|
Embassy. |
| 26 |
Mali |
4 July 1980 |
AUThe African Union is an intergovernmental organization consisting of 52 African states. Established on July 9 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organization of African Unity...
OIC |
|
| 27 |
Mauritania |
27 February 1984 |
Arab League
AUThe African Union is an intergovernmental organization consisting of 52 African states. Established on July 9 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organization of African Unity...
OIC
AMUThe Arab Maghreb Union is a Pan-Arab trade agreement aiming for economic and political unity in North Africa....
|
|
| 28 |
Mauritius |
1 July 1982 |
AUThe African Union is an intergovernmental organization consisting of 52 African states. Established on July 9 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organization of African Unity...
|
|
| 29 |
Mexico |
8 September 1979 |
|
|
| 30 |
Mozambique |
13 March 1976 |
AUThe African Union is an intergovernmental organization consisting of 52 African states. Established on July 9 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organization of African Unity...
OIC |
Embassy. |
| 31 |
Namibia |
2 June 1990http://www.spsrasd.info/sps-e080704.html |
AUThe African Union is an intergovernmental organization consisting of 52 African states. Established on July 9 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organization of African Unity...
|
Embassy. |
| 32 |
Nicaragua |
6 September 1979 |
|
Suspended 21 July 2000,http://www.mincom.gov.ma/french/reg_vil/regions/sahara/actualite/archive/2000/220700.htm but re-established 12 January 2007http://www.spsrasd.info/en/infos/2007/01/sps-e120107.html |
| 33 |
Nigeria |
12 November 1984 |
AUThe African Union is an intergovernmental organization consisting of 52 African states. Established on July 9 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organization of African Unity...
OIC |
Embassy.http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=16090http://www.arso.org/01-e01-13.htm |
| 34 |
North Korea |
16 March 1976 |
|
|
| 35 |
Panama |
23 June 1978 |
|
Embassy |
| 36 |
Papua New Guinea |
12 August 1981 |
|
|
| 37 |
Russia |
11 March 1976 |
|
|
| 38 |
Rwanda |
1 April 1976 |
AUThe African Union is an intergovernmental organization consisting of 52 African states. Established on July 9 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organization of African Unity...
|
|
| 39 |
Saint Kitts and Nevis |
25 February 1987 |
|
|
| 40 |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines |
14 February 2002 |
|
|
| 41 |
Seychelles |
25 October 1977 |
AUThe African Union is an intergovernmental organization consisting of 52 African states. Established on July 9 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organization of African Unity...
|
|
| 42 |
South Africa |
15 September 2004 |
AUThe African Union is an intergovernmental organization consisting of 52 African states. Established on July 9 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organization of African Unity...
|
Embassy.http://www.arso.org/SA.RASD2004.htm |
| 43 |
Suriname |
11 August 1982 |
|
|
| 44 |
Syria |
15 April 1980 |
Arab League
OIC |
|
| 45 |
Tanzania |
9 November 1978 |
AUThe African Union is an intergovernmental organization consisting of 52 African states. Established on July 9 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organization of African Unity...
|
Embassy established June, 2005. |
| 46 |
Timor-Leste |
20 May 2002http://www.arso.org/timor200502.htm |
|
The Sahrawi Republic was the first country to establish relations with Timor-Leste or East Timor. |
| 47 |
Trinidad and Tobago |
1 November 1986 |
|
|
| 48 |
Uganda |
6 September 1979 |
AUThe African Union is an intergovernmental organization consisting of 52 African states. Established on July 9 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organization of African Unity...
|
|
| 49 |
Uruguay |
28 December 2005 |
|
|
| 50 |
Vanuatu |
27 November 1980 |
|
Vanuatu later recognized the SADR. |
| 51 |
Venezuela |
3 August 1982 |
|
Embassy. |
| 52 |
Vietnam |
2 March 1979 |
|
|
| 53 |
Zambia |
12 October 1979 |
AUThe African Union is an intergovernmental organization consisting of 52 African states. Established on July 9 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organization of African Unity...
|
|
| 54 |
Zimbabwe |
3 July 1980http://64.233.183.104/search?q=cache:Mwh4ZjLPTgcJ:www.zimfa.gov.zw/missions/8.htm+tanzania+embassy+sadr&hl=sv |
AUThe African Union is an intergovernmental organization consisting of 52 African states. Established on July 9 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organization of African Unity...
|
Embassy |
International organizations
| State |
Membership |
Notes |
Arab League Arab LeagueThe Arab League , officially called the League of Arab States , is a regional organization of Arab states in Southwest Asia, and North and Northeast Africa. It was formed in Cairo on March 22, 1945 with six members: Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan , Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Syria...
|
Not a member. |
Currently considered a part of Morocco. |
| Greater Arab Free Trade Area (GAFTA) |
Not a member. |
Morocco is a founding member of GAFTA. |
AUThe African Union is an intergovernmental organization consisting of 52 African states. Established on July 9 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organization of African Unity...
|
22 February 1982 |
SADR is a fully recognised AU member. |
| OIC |
Not a member. |
Currently considered as part of Morocco. Mohammed VI of MoroccoMohammed VI is the present King of Morocco. He was born on 21 August 1963 and ascended to the throne in July 1999.-Education:His father, the late King Hassan II, was keen on giving him a religious and political education from an early age...
is currently chairman of the OIC's Al-Qods committee. |
| UN |
Not a member. |
The UN does not recognize Moroccan claims. Has argued for negotiations between Morocco and SADR. |
States that have suspended or cancelled their recognition to the SADR or they ceased to exist
The recognitions of the SADR are subject to continuous fluctuation, depending on different factors and the diplomatic activity of
MoroccoMorocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country located in North Africa with a population of nearly 32 million and an area just under . Its capital is Rabat, and its largest city is Casablanca. Morocco has a coast on the Atlantic Ocean that reaches past the Strait of Gibraltar into the...
,
AlgeriaAlgeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, is a country located in North Africa. It is the largest country on the Mediterranean sea, the second largest on the African continent and the eleventh-largest country in the world in terms of land area.It is bordered by Tunisia in...
and Polisario.
A number of states that once recognized the SADR have either suspended or definitely cancelled their recognition. For example, the government of the
SeychellesSeychelles , officially the Republic of Seychelles , is an archipelago nation of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, some east of mainland Africa, northeast of the island of Madagascar...
withdrew its
diplomatic recognitionDiplomatic recognition in international law is a unilateral political act, with domestic and international legal consequences, whereby a state acknowledges an act or status of another state or government...
of the SADR on 17 March 2008. The
Socialist Federal Republic of YugoslaviaThe Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the second half of World War II until it was formally dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro,...
which recognized SADR on 28 November 1984, ceased to exist in 1992. "Cancellation" of recognition by
Serbia and MontenegroThe State Union of Serbia and Montenegro , was a union of Serbia and Montenegro, which existed between 2003 and 2006. The two republics, both of which are former republics of the SFR Yugoslavia, initially formed the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1992...
on October 28, 2004, is due to international law inadmissible. For an overview on the list of these states click here:
Foreign relations of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic RepublicThe Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic is a government in exile, meaning it does not effectively control its claimed territory, the former Spanish colony of Western Sahara. The Polisario front, the military wing that controls the SADR, currently claims to administer the area that it calls the Free...
.
List of states supporting Moroccan claims on Western Sahara
No state has recognized the sovereignty of Morocco over Western Sahara, which the
United Nations Secretary-GeneralThe Secretary-General of the United Nations, acronym UNSYG, is the head of the Secretariat, one of the principal organs of the United Nations. The Secretary-General also acts as the de facto spokesperson and leader of the United Nations....
Kofi AnnanKofi Atta Annan, Honorary GCMG is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1 January 1997 to 1 January 2007. Annan and the United Nations were the co-recipients of the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize.-Early years and family:Kofi Annan was born in the...
also stressed in his last report on Western Sahara to the
Security CouncilThe United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of...
:
- "The Security Council would not be able to invite parties to negotiate about Western Saharan autonomy
Autonomy is a concept found in moral, political, and bioethical philosophy. Within these contexts, it refers to the capacity of a rational individual to make an informed, un-coerced decision...
under Moroccan sovereignty, for such wording would imply recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, which was out of the question as long as no States Member of the United Nations had recognized that sovereignty". Spain is still considered as the administrative power, but Morocco however is the de facto administrating power since it controls most of the territory".
Some UN member states have expressed explicit support of "Morocco's
territorial integrityTerritorial integrity is the principle under international law that nation-states should not attempt to promote secessionist movements or to promote border changes in other nation-states...
", in reference to Western Sahara as Moroccan provinces, but only Morocco has made a public declaration of sovereignty over the region.
| State |
Date of support |
Notes |
| Botswana |
|
AUThe African Union is an intergovernmental organization consisting of 52 African states. Established on July 9 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organization of African Unity...
Member |
| Gambia |
|
AUThe African Union is an intergovernmental organization consisting of 52 African states. Established on July 9 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organization of African Unity...
Member |
| Cameroon |
|
AUThe African Union is an intergovernmental organization consisting of 52 African states. Established on July 9 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organization of African Unity...
Member |
| Central African Republic |
|
AUThe African Union is an intergovernmental organization consisting of 52 African states. Established on July 9 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organization of African Unity...
Member |
| Côte d'Ivoire |
|
AUThe African Union is an intergovernmental organization consisting of 52 African states. Established on July 9 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organization of African Unity...
Member |
| Egypt |
|
AUThe African Union is an intergovernmental organization consisting of 52 African states. Established on July 9 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organization of African Unity...
Member
OIC Member
Arab League Member |
| Equatorial Guinea |
|
AUThe African Union is an intergovernmental organization consisting of 52 African states. Established on July 9 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organization of African Unity...
Member |
| Gabon |
|
AUThe African Union is an intergovernmental organization consisting of 52 African states. Established on July 9 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organization of African Unity...
Member |
| Guinea |
|
AUThe African Union is an intergovernmental organization consisting of 52 African states. Established on July 9 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organization of African Unity...
Member |
| Madagascar |
|
AUThe African Union is an intergovernmental organization consisting of 52 African states. Established on July 9 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organization of African Unity...
Member |
| Senegal |
|
AUThe African Union is an intergovernmental organization consisting of 52 African states. Established on July 9 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organization of African Unity...
Member |
| Swazilandhttp://www.map.ma/eng/sections/politics/african_countries_su/view |
|
AUThe African Union is an intergovernmental organization consisting of 52 African states. Established on July 9 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organization of African Unity...
Member |
| Sudan |
|
AUThe African Union is an intergovernmental organization consisting of 52 African states. Established on July 9 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organization of African Unity...
Member
OIC Member
Arab League Member |
| Argentina |
|
|
| Colombia |
|
|
| PRC |
|
UN permanent member of the UNSC |
| Indonesia |
|
|
| Pakistan |
|
OIC permanent member of the OIC |
|
|
| Iraq |
|
OIC Member
Arab League Member |
| Kuwait |
25 May 2002 |
OIC Member
Arab League Member |
| Yemen |
11 July 2000 |
OIC Member
Arab League Member |
|
Other states
does not recognise the Saharan Arab Democratic Republic, the POLISARIO Front, or Moroccan sovereignty over the territory. Canada no longer participates in the Western Sahara peacekeeping force (MINURSO) but supports its presence. It also supports efforts made by the UN and the involved parties in achieving a peaceful settlement of the conflict.
- Commenting on a 2004 free trade agreement with
MoroccoMorocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country located in North Africa with a population of nearly 32 million and an area just under . Its capital is Rabat, and its largest city is Casablanca. Morocco has a coast on the Atlantic Ocean that reaches past the Strait of Gibraltar into the...
,
US Trade RepresentativeThe Office of the United States Trade Representative is the United States government agency responsible for developing and recommending United States trade policy to the President of the United States, conducting trade negotiations at bilateral and multilateral levels, and coordinating trade...
Robert ZoellickRobert Bruce Zoellick is the eleventh president of the World Bank, a position he has held since July 1, 2007. He was previously a managing director of Goldman Sachs, United States Deputy Secretary of State and U.S. Trade Representative, from February 7, 2001 until February 22, 2005.President...
stated in a letter to Congressman Joe Pitts, in response to his questioning, "the United States and many other countries do not recognize Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara and have consistently urged the parties to work with the United Nations to resolve the conflict by peaceful means. The Free Trade Agreement will not include Western Sahara." . However the final text provided no provisions with respect to Western Sahara.
See also
- Foreign relations of Morocco
- Polisario
- List of unrecognised countries
Tables of states recognizing the SADR
Others