Relationship dossier
France
Western Sahara
Relationship assessment
France’s support for Morocco’s position on Western Sahara conflicts with the SADR’s claim to self-determination.
France toward Western Sahara
-40France has backed Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara and stated that the territory’s present and future fall within Moroccan sovereignty, a position contrary to the SADR’s claim to self-determination.
Western Sahara toward France
-25The SADR has rejected France’s support for Morocco’s sovereignty claim and autonomy plan for Western Sahara.
Overall relationship
-35The central feature of the relationship is a substantive disagreement over Western Sahara’s status: France supports Morocco’s sovereignty and autonomy proposal, while the SADR claims self-determination and rejects that position. The extent of direct bilateral engagement is unclear.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
France has endorsed Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara and stated in 2024 that the territory’s present and future fall within Moroccan sovereignty, a position opposed by the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR). The SADR has rejected France’s position. These disputes shape the relationship, though the scope of direct bilateral engagement is unclear.
Areas of tension
- Western Sahara’s status and the competing positions on Moroccan sovereignty and Sahrawi self-determination.
Key developments
France stated that it considers Western Sahara’s present and future to fall within Moroccan sovereignty and endorsed Morocco’s autonomy plan.
Major uncertainties
- The extent of direct government contacts between France and the SADR is unclear.
- The scope and implementation of any direct bilateral arrangements are unclear.