Relationship dossier
Germany
Western Sahara
Relationship assessment
Germany backs a UN-led settlement process and regards Morocco’s autonomy proposal as a serious basis for resolving Western Sahara’s status.
Germany toward Western Sahara
-15In a February 2022 joint declaration with Morocco, Germany described Morocco’s autonomy proposal for Western Sahara as a serious and credible basis for a settlement, while supporting the UN-led process. This position does not endorse independence for Western Sahara.
Western Sahara toward Germany
Not assessedOverall relationship
Not assessedHow 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
Germany supports a UN-led process on Western Sahara while also describing Morocco’s autonomy proposal as a serious and credible basis for a settlement. That position favors an autonomy framework over independence, creating friction with the Sahrawi claim to self-determination. Western Sahara’s contested status and the limited scope of direct German-Sahrawi government engagement leave the broader relationship difficult to characterize.
Areas of tension
- Germany’s support for Morocco’s autonomy proposal differs from the Sahrawi independence claim and its emphasis on self-determination.
Key developments
Germany and Morocco issued a joint declaration describing Morocco’s autonomy proposal for Western Sahara as a serious and credible basis for a settlement, while supporting the UN-led process.
Major uncertainties
- The extent of direct German government engagement with Sahrawi representatives is unclear.
- The practical implications of Germany’s support for Morocco’s autonomy proposal for a final settlement remain unresolved.