Relationship dossier
United Arab Emirates
Western Sahara
Relationship assessment
UAE support for Morocco’s position on Western Sahara; direct Sahrawi-UAE relations are unclear
United Arab Emirates toward Western Sahara
-30The UAE opened a consulate in Laayoune and has supported Morocco’s position on Western Sahara, signaling alignment with Moroccan administration rather than Sahrawi independence.
Western Sahara toward United Arab Emirates
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 United Arab Emirates has supported Morocco’s position on Western Sahara and opened a consulate in Laayoune, a city in the territory administered by Morocco. This is a concrete policy signal against the independence position represented by the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. Information about direct government conduct by Western Sahara’s representatives toward the UAE is insufficient to assess that relationship.
Areas of tension
- The UAE’s support for Morocco’s position conflicts with the Sahrawi independence claim.
Key developments
The UAE opened a consulate in Laayoune, a city in Western Sahara administered by Morocco.
Major uncertainties
- The extent of direct contact between the UAE government and Western Sahara’s representatives is unclear.