Relationship dossier
Syria
Western Sahara
Relationship assessment
Syria recognized the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic; the status of that policy after Syria's 2024 transition is unclear.
Syria toward Western Sahara
+25The Syrian government recognized the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, which claims sovereignty over Western Sahara, and maintained political ties with it. Whether the authorities that took power in Syria in 2024 retain this policy is unclear.
Western Sahara toward Syria
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
The Syrian government recognized the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, which claims sovereignty over Western Sahara, and maintained political ties with it. Syria's government changed in 2024, and the status of this policy under the successor authorities is unclear. Western Sahara is a disputed territory; the Sahrawi authorities' conduct toward Syria cannot be attributed to the territory as a whole.
Key developments
Syria recognized the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, which claims sovereignty over Western Sahara.
Major uncertainties
- The status of Syria's recognition and bilateral ties under the post-2024 authorities is unclear.
- The scope and continuity of Syria's political engagement with the Sahrawi authorities are unclear.