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Part of a series on the
Western Sahara conflict
Background
Spanish Sahara Greater Morocco Greater Mauritania Moroccan Army of Liberation Movement for the Liberation of Saguia el Hamra and Wadi el Dhahab Polisario Front Sahrawi National Union Party Madrid Accords Partition agreement
Regions
Saguia el-Hamra Río de Oro Southern Provinces Tiris al-Gharbiyya Free Zone
Politics
Annexation of Western Sahara Political status of Western Sahara Foreign relations of Morocco Makhzen Politics of the SADR Royal Advisory Council for Saharan Affairs
Clashes
Ifni War Zemla Intifada Western Sahara War First Intifada Independence Intifada Gdeim Izik Arab Spring protests 2020–present clashes Timeline
Issues
Refugees camps Sahrawi nationality Green March Moroccan settlers Moroccan Wall Human rights
Peace process
UN resolutions UN visiting mission UN referendum mission ICJ Advisory Opinion Settlement Plan Houston Agreement Baker Plan Manhasset negotiations Autonomy Proposal
v t e

Western Sahara, formerly the Spanish colony of Spanish Sahara, is a disputed territory claimed by the Kingdom of Morocco and the Polisario Front. Its legal status remains unresolved.

The territory is mostly administered by Morocco since Spain handed over the territory to Morocco and Mauritania after the Madrid Accords in 1975-76. Part of the territory is controlled by the Polisario Front as the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. A UN-administered cease-fire has been in effect since September, 1991.

In order to resolve the sovereignty issue, the United Nations (UN) has attempted to hold a referendum through the mission United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), and is holding direct talks between the kingdom of Morocco and the Polisario Front.

Positions of the parties

Kingdom of Morocco

The position of the Kingdom of Morocco is that all of Western Sahara is an integral part of the Kingdom. The Moroccan government refers to Western Sahara only as the "Sahara," "Moroccan Sahara," "Saharan provinces," or the "Southern Provinces". Western Sahara is the historical birthplace of one of the most glorious Moroccan ruling dynasties, the Almoravids. In 1958, the Moroccan Liberation Army of the South fought Spanish colonizers and almost liberated what was then Spanish Sahara. Among the veterans of the Moroccan Southern Army are fathers of many of the Polisario leaders, like the father of Mohammed Abdelaziz, the Polisario leader. Morocco is supported in this view by a number of former Polisario founders and leaders. The Polisario Front is considered by Morocco to be a Moroccan separatist movement, referring to the Moroccan origins of most of its founding members, and its self-proclaimed SADR to be a puppet state used by Algeria to fight a proxy war against Morocco.

Polisario Front

The position of the Polisario Front is that Western Sahara is an occupied territory, the rightful government of which is the exiled Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR). The Polisario Front calls for the right of self-determination of the people of Western Sahara to be decided through a referendum. Although the SADR is not recognised as a state by the UN, Polisario is considered as a direct party in the conflict. The SADR is a member of the African Union.

Algeria

Algeria has been supporting the independence of Western Sahara diplomatically since 1975. In 1976, Algeria got involved directly in the conflict, but after a military confrontation at Amgala against the Moroccan Army, the Algerian role became that of an indirectly involved party through political and military support to the Polisario front. Morocco argues that the Algerian position is due to the Sand War of 1963.

United Nations

Western Sahara was first placed, by Moroccan demand, on the UN list of territories to be decolonized in the 1960s when it was still a Spanish colony. It has retained that status since then due to the persistence of the conflict. The UN has been involved since 1988 to find a solution to the conflict through self-determination. In 1988, the kingdom of Morocco and the Polisario Front agreed to settle the dispute through a referendum under the auspices of the UN, that would allow the people of Western Sahara to chose between independence or integration with Morocco. In 1991, a ceasefire was agreed between the parties, contingent on the referendum being held the following year. Due to disputes over voter qualification, the vote has still not been held, and Morocco has made it clear in 2000 that henceforth it will not consider any option leading to the independence of the territory, and instead, is now proposing autonomy within Morocco. Lately, the UN has argued for negotiations between the parties to overcome the deadlock.

African Union

The African Union (formerly the Organization of African Unity) has given the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic full recognition, and accepted it as a member (which has led Morocco to leave the union, becoming the only African state outside of it.)

Recognition

The SADR is recognized by 46 states. Non-recognition of the Sahrawi republic does not necessarily imply non-recognition of the Polisario Front: several governments consider Polisario as the legitimate representative of the Sahrawi people, but not its exile government as a state. Several states have withdrawn their recognition of the SADR. Although Morocco claims that no recognition is required, Moroccan sovereignty over the territory is explicitly supported by the Arab League and by 25 states.

States recognizing the SADR

The following is a list of state governments that have formally recognized Western Sahara as a sovereign nation, with the exiled Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic as its legitimate government. The vast majority of recognitions took place during the Cold War. Since the 1990s, many states have retracted their recognitions, or suspended recognition pending the outcome of the referendum on self-determination.

• Forty-six recognize the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. Thirteen of them are home to Sahrawi embassies.
• Thirteen have recognized the SADR but then suspended relations.
• Twenty-three have recognized the SADR but then withdrawn recognition.

States that have suspended or canceled their recognition to the SADR

The recognitions of the SADR are subject to continuous fluctuation, depending on different factors and the diplomatic activity of Morocco, and the Polisario Front.

A number of states that once recognized the SADR have either suspended or definitely canceled their recognition. The table below provides an overview on the list of these states.

List of states supporting Moroccan claims on Western Sahara

No state has recognized the sovereignty of Morocco over Western Sahara, which the United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan also stressed in his last report on Western Sahara to the Security Council:

"The Security Council would not be able to invite parties to negotiate about Western Saharan autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty, for such wording would imply recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, which was out of the question as long as no States Member of the United Nations had recognized that sovereignty".

Morocco is considered the administrative power in Western Sahara.

Other states

• United States - In a 2004 free trade agreement with Morocco, US Trade Representative Robert Zoellick stated, "the United States and many other countries do not recognize Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara and have consistently urged the parties to work with the United Nations to resolve the conflict by peaceful means. The Free Trade Agreement will not include Western Sahara."

See also

• Foreign relations of Morocco

References

• Hodges, Tony. Western Sahara: Roots of a Desert War, Lawrence Hill & Company, 1983, ISBN 0882081527 , p. 308
• Pazzanita, Anthony. Historical Dictionary of Western Sahara, 3 ed., Scarecrow Press, 2006, ISBN 0810855402 , pp. 376-378.

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56. "Iran recognises "the Saharawi Republic and see the solution within the UN framework", Declares Iran's Ambassador to Algiers". Sahara Press Service. 2006-02-17. Retrieved 2006-07-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
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82. "Kenya severs diplomatic ties with Sahrawi Republic". Kenya Times. 2006-10-22.
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105. "Morocco, Botswana establish diplomatic relations". Arabicnews.com. 2005-06-28. Retrieved 2006-07-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
106. "King Visit to Cameroon, a major event, ambassador". Arabicnews.com. 2004-06-17. Retrieved 2006-07-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
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108. "Ivory Coast reiterates firm support to political solution to Sahara dispute, Minister". Arabicnews.com. 2004-03-16. Retrieved 2006-07-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
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112. "Bilateral cooperation: Guinea reaffirms support to Moroccan territorial integrity". MoroccoTimes.com. 2005-07-21. Retrieved 2006-07-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
113. "Madagascar freezes recognition of so-called Sahrawi Republic". Arabicnews.com. 2005-04-07. Retrieved 2006-07-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
114. "Senegal renews firm support to Moroccan territorial integrity". Africast.com. 2000-05-29. Retrieved 2006-07-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
115. "Sudan supports Moroccan sovereignty over Southern Provinces". MoroccoTimes.com. 2005-12-26. Retrieved 2006-07-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
116. "Argentina renews backing to Morocco's territorial integrity". Arabicnews.com. 2003-04-15. Retrieved 2006-07-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
117. "Columbian Senate reaffirms support to Morocco territorial integrity". MoroccoTimes.com. 2005-03-23. Retrieved 2006-07-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
118. "Chile reiterates its position in favour of Moroccan territorial integrity". MoroccoTimes.com. 2005-06-02. Retrieved 2006-07-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
119. "Peru fully supports Morocco's territorial integrity". 2003-10-02. Retrieved 2006-07-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
120. "China renews backing to Morocco's territorial integrity". Arabicnews.com. 2000-11-08. Retrieved 2006-07-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
121. "Indonesian MP delegation holds intensive talks with Moroccan officials". Arabicnews.com. 2001-01-25. Retrieved 2006-07-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
122. "Morocco-Iraqi agreements on oil supply upheld, ambassador". 2005-06-09. Retrieved 2006-07-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
123. "Kuwait reiterates support to Morocco's territorial integrity". Arabicnews.com. 2002-05-25. Retrieved 2006-07-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
124. "Serbia-Montenegro withdraws recognition of Sahara Republic". 2004-10-28. Retrieved 2006-07-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
125. "Morocco and Vanuatu to start diplomatic relations". Arabicnews.com. 2000-12-15. Retrieved 2006-07-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

External links

Tables of states recognizing the SADR

• World Statesmen
• Western Sahara On-line
• The SADR Template:Es
• Lasonet.com Template:Es
• Friends of the Sahara Template:Es
• The Association for a Free and Fair Referendum in Western Sahara

Others

• Arabic News - Senegal supports Morocco's territorial integrity
• Balkan Peace - Serbia-Montenegro withdraws recognition of Sahara Republic
• Morocco Times - Sahara issue - Sudan supports Moroccan territorial integrity
• Arabic News - Morocco, Gabon voice resolve to enhance cooperation

• Politics of Morocco
• Politics of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
• Western Sahara