Relationship dossier
Morocco
Western Sahara
Relationship assessment
A prolonged sovereignty dispute, with Morocco administering most of Western Sahara and the SADR seeking independence.
Morocco toward Western Sahara
-75Morocco claims sovereignty over Western Sahara, administers most of the territory, and has fought the Polisario Front, which represents the SADR’s independence claim. Morocco proposed autonomy for the territory under Moroccan sovereignty, but the status dispute remains unresolved.
Western Sahara toward Morocco
-75The SADR, associated with the Polisario Front, contests Morocco’s claim to Western Sahara and seeks independence. The Polisario fought Morocco in the conflict over the territory, and armed hostilities resumed after the 1991 ceasefire broke down in 2020.
Overall relationship
-75The relationship is structured by an unresolved sovereignty conflict: Morocco claims and administers most of Western Sahara, while the SADR and Polisario Front pursue independence. A long armed conflict, the failed ceasefire, and opposing positions on autonomy and self-determination sustain severe and enduring 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
Morocco claims sovereignty over Western Sahara and administers most of the territory, while the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), associated with the Polisario Front, seeks its independence. The dispute has involved prolonged armed conflict and a United Nations-backed ceasefire that broke down in 2020. Morocco’s autonomy proposal and the Polisario’s continued independence claim reflect the enduring divide over the territory’s status.
Areas of tension
- Sovereignty over Western Sahara
- Self-determination and the territory’s political status
- Morocco’s autonomy proposal under Moroccan sovereignty
- Armed conflict between Morocco and the Polisario Front
Key developments
A United Nations-backed ceasefire between Morocco and the Polisario Front took effect.
Morocco proposed autonomy for Western Sahara under Moroccan sovereignty.
The Polisario Front declared the ceasefire over and resumed armed hostilities.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and implementation of Morocco’s proposed autonomy arrangement remain unresolved.
- The extent of SADR government control over territory and its relationship with the Polisario Front vary.