Relationship dossier
Morocco
Saudi Arabia
Relationship assessment
Close partnership shaped by Saudi support on Western Sahara and Moroccan cooperation on regional security, with occasional policy differences.
Morocco toward Saudi Arabia
+45Morocco has supported Saudi Arabia in regional security matters, including by contributing forces during the 1990–91 Gulf crisis and initially participating in the Saudi-led Yemen coalition. Morocco later ended its Yemen participation and did not align fully with Saudi Arabia during the 2017 Gulf dispute.
Saudi Arabia toward Morocco
+50Saudi Arabia has supported Morocco’s position on Western Sahara and provided political and financial backing. Saudi Arabia also opened a consulate in Laayoune, a step that publicly supported Morocco’s claim to the territory.
Overall relationship
+45The relationship is underpinned by sustained political and security cooperation, including Saudi support for Morocco on Western Sahara and Moroccan contributions to regional security efforts. Differences over the Qatar dispute and Yemen have tempered, but not displaced, the broader partnership.
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
Morocco and Saudi Arabia have maintained a close partnership, including Saudi political support for Morocco’s position on Western Sahara and Moroccan support for Saudi Arabia during regional security crises. Their cooperation has not been without friction: Morocco maintained a more neutral position during the 2017 Gulf dispute and later ended its participation in the Yemen coalition.
Areas of tension
- Morocco did not align fully with Saudi Arabia during the 2017 dispute involving Qatar.
- Morocco later ended its participation in the Saudi-led Yemen coalition.
Key developments
Morocco contributed forces during the 1990–91 Gulf crisis, supporting the coalition defending Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.
Morocco joined the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen and later ended its participation.
Saudi Arabia opened a consulate in Laayoune, signaling support for Morocco’s position on Western Sahara.
Major uncertainties
- The scale and implementation of Saudi financial and investment support for Morocco are unclear.
- The extent of ongoing Moroccan security cooperation with Saudi Arabia is unclear.