Relationship dossier
Morocco
Sweden
Relationship assessment
Diplomatic engagement shaped by disagreement over Western Sahara
Morocco toward Sweden
-15Morocco reacted strongly to Swedish parliamentary calls for recognition of Western Sahara, creating diplomatic friction with Sweden. The scale and duration of Morocco's response are unclear.
Sweden toward Morocco
-10Sweden's government declined to recognize Western Sahara despite parliamentary calls to do so, and has supported a UN-led process on the territory. This position has been a source of disagreement with Morocco.
Overall relationship
0The relationship combines ongoing diplomatic engagement with a notable dispute over Western Sahara. Sweden's decision not to recognize the territory has limited the dispute's severity, while Morocco's strong reaction to recognition proposals has contributed to friction. The known features do not support characterizing the relationship as either a close partnership or sustained confrontation.
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
Relations have included diplomatic engagement alongside a significant disagreement over Western Sahara. Morocco reacted strongly to Swedish parliamentary calls for recognition of Western Sahara, while Sweden's government ultimately declined to recognize it and has supported a UN-led process. The dispute has created friction, but the known facts do not indicate sustained confrontation or a close bilateral partnership.
Areas of tension
- Western Sahara's status and Sweden's parliamentary calls for recognition of the territory.
Key developments
Sweden's government declined to recognize Western Sahara after parliamentary calls for recognition, a decision opposed by Morocco.
Major uncertainties
- The extent and continuity of practical bilateral cooperation outside the Western Sahara dispute are unclear.
- The scope and effects of Morocco's diplomatic response to Swedish recognition proposals are unclear.