Relationship dossier
Libya
Morocco
Relationship assessment
Libya’s historical support for the Polisario contrasts with Morocco’s role hosting the 2015 Libyan Political Agreement.
Libya toward Morocco
-20During the Gaddafi era, Libya supported the Polisario Front, whose claim to Western Sahara conflicts with Morocco’s position. This was a source of bilateral friction; the policies of later Libyan governments are less clear.
Morocco toward Libya
+35Morocco hosted UN-led Libyan political dialogue at Skhirat, where Libyan parties signed the 2015 Libyan Political Agreement. This gave Morocco a concrete diplomatic role in efforts to establish a political settlement in Libya.
Overall relationship
+15The relationship has included friction over Western Sahara, particularly during the Gaddafi era, as well as substantial Moroccan diplomatic engagement in Libya’s political process through the Skhirat talks. The depth and continuity of cooperation beyond that process are 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
Libya’s support for the Polisario Front during the Gaddafi era contributed to tensions with Morocco over Western Sahara. Morocco later hosted UN-led Libyan political dialogue in Skhirat, culminating in the 2015 Libyan Political Agreement. These episodes show a history of friction alongside a significant Moroccan diplomatic role in Libya’s political process.
Areas of tension
- Libya’s historical support for the Polisario Front and the dispute over Western Sahara
Key developments
Libyan political parties signed the Libyan Political Agreement at Skhirat, Morocco, following UN-led dialogue hosted there.
Major uncertainties
- The extent and duration of Libyan support for the Polisario Front, and how subsequent Libyan governments approached the issue, are unclear.
- The scope and continuity of Morocco’s diplomatic engagement with Libyan governments after the Skhirat agreement are unclear.