Relationship dossier
Mali
Western Sahara
Relationship assessment
Mali shifted from recognizing Sahrawi statehood to supporting Morocco’s autonomy proposal
Mali toward Western Sahara
-15Mali previously recognized the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, then withdrew recognition and expressed support for Morocco’s autonomy proposal for Western Sahara.
Western Sahara toward Mali
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
Mali recognized the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic before withdrawing that recognition and expressing support for Morocco’s autonomy proposal for Western Sahara. These policy changes mark a shift away from recognition of Sahrawi statehood. Information about the Sahrawi authorities’ government conduct toward Mali is insufficient to assess it independently.
Areas of tension
- Competing positions over Western Sahara’s status and Sahrawi independence.
Key developments
Mali withdrew recognition of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic and expressed support for Morocco’s autonomy proposal for Western Sahara.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and practical effects of Mali’s policy shift are unclear.
- Details of Sahrawi government cooperation with Mali are limited.