Foreign relations of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic

The foreign relations of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) are conducted by the Polisario Front, which maintains a network of representation offices and embassies in foreign countries.

The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) is the government in exile claiming sovereignty of the former Spanish colony of Western Sahara. The Polisario Front, the national liberation movement that administers the SADR, currently controls the area that it calls the Liberated Territories, a strip of Western Sahara territory east of the Moroccan Wall. It also administers the Sahrawi refugee camps at Tindouf, Algeria, where its headquarters are. It has conducted diplomatic relations with states and international organisations since its inception in 1976. In 1966, United Nations General Assembly Resolution 22/29 affirmed for the first time the Sahrawi right to self-determination. In 1979, United Nations General Assembly Resolution 34/37 reaffirmed the right of the Western Sahara people to self-determination and independence, recognising also the Polisario Front as the representative of the Western Sahara people.

Since the country is not widely recognised, the government has asked Independent Diplomat to serve its interests.^[1]

Recognition

As of September 2022, the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic has been recognized by 84 UN member states. Of these, 38 have "frozen" or "withdrawn" recognition for a number of reasons. Several states that do not recognise the Sahrawi Republic nonetheless recognize the Polisario Front as the legitimate representative of the population of the Western Sahara, but not as the government-in-exile for a sovereign state.^{[citation needed]}

The republic has been a full member of the African Union (AU), formerly the Organization of African Unity (OAU), since 1984. Morocco withdrew from the OAU in protest and remained the only African nation not within the AU between South Africa's admittance in 1994 and (re-)joining the African Union in 2017. The SADR also participates as guest at meetings of the Non-Aligned Movement^[2][3] or the New Asian–African Strategic Partnership,^[4][5] over Moroccan objections to SADR participation.^[6] On the other hand, upholding Moroccan "territorial integrity" is favoured by the Arab League.^[7][8]

Besides Algeria, Mexico, Iran, Venezuela, Vietnam, Nigeria, and South Africa, India was the major middle power to have ever recognised SADR and maintained full diplomatic relations, having allowed the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic to open an embassy in New Delhi in 1985. However, India "withdrew" its recognition in 2000.^[9]

As with any fluid political situation, diplomatic recognitions of either party's rights are subject to frequent and sometimes unannounced change.

Bilateral relations

Memorandum of understanding between Ecuador and SADR, in Quito, July 2012

The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic has, since its proclamation established diplomatic relations with a number of states, mainly in Africa and the Americas, which have recognised its independence. In connection with the "freezing", "withdrawing" and resuming of recognition, similar changes have occurred at the level of diplomatic relations. SADR has stable and developed relationships with states such as Algeria and South Africa.

The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic is represented abroad by the Polisario Front, which maintains a network of missions and embassies. Some states that have recognised the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic have elevated the Polisario representation in their country to the status of SADR embassy. The Polisario Front maintains also a network of representations on countries that do not recognized the SADR as a sovereign country, mainly in Europe, with some of them having relations with the host country governments. Representation of foreign countries to the SADR is performed by embassies located abroad, mainly in Algiers, due to the Western Sahara conflict and the settlement of the Sahrawi refugee camps in south-western Algeria. Strong support of Sahrawi cause from some countries is demonstrated by foreign delegation's visits in Liberated Territories of Western Sahara.^{[note 1][note 2]}

Current diplomatic relations

Current relations of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR)

  SADR, as claimed

  Diplomatic relations and recognition of SADR (Ecuador, Peru and Panama recently reversed their recognition).

  Recognition of SADR only

A total of 35 states presently maintain diplomatic relations with the SADR. Of these, 28 have continuously maintained relations with SADR without any interruptions. As of 6 August 2018, Botswana is the most recent nation to have formally established diplomatic relations with the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. Seven states have frozen or canceled relations with the SADR in the past, but later resumed them. As of 20 September 2022, South Sudan is the most recent nation that reestablished diplomatic relations with SADR.

#	State	Relations established	Sahrawi mission	Mission to Sahrawi Republic ‡ Embassy (non-resident)	Notes
1	Algeria	6 March 1976[13]	Embassy (Algiers)[14]	—	AU, Arab League, OIC; Algeria–SADR relations
2	Angola	August 1980[15]	Embassy (Luanda)[16]	‡ (Algiers)	AU
3	Belize	18 November 1986[17]	‡ (Managua)[18]	—	—
4	Bolivia	14 November 1982[19]	Embassy (La Paz)[20]	—	Relations were suspended from 20 January 2020[21] to 16 September 2021.[19]
5	Botswana	6 August 2018[22]	Embassy (Gaborone)[23]	‡ (Addis Ababa)[24]	AU
6	Cambodia	1980s[25]	—	—	ASEAN
7	Colombia	27 February 1985[26]	Embassy (Bogotá)[27]	—	Relations were frozen from 20 December 2000[28][29] to 10 August 2022.[30]
8	Cuba	21 January 1980[31]	Embassy (Havana)[32]	‡ (Algiers)[33]	Cuba–SADR relations
9	Ethiopia	Yes[when?]	Embassy (Addis Ababa)[34]	‡ (Rome)[35]	AU
10	Ghana	24 August 1979[36]	Embassy (Accra)[37][38]	‡ (Algiers)[39]	AU Further details Some sources claimed a suspending of relations from 7 January 2025,[40] however, Ghana still maintains diplomatic mission accredited to SADR.[39]
11	Guyana	28 September 2012[41][42]	‡ (Caracas)[43][44][45][46]	—	OIC Further details Moroccan news sources claimed a withdrawal of recognition from 14 November 2020,[47][48] however, Guyana still maintains diplomatic relations with SADR.[49]
12	Honduras	5 June 2013[50][51]	—	—	—
13	Iran	22 June 1980[52]	—	—	OIC
14	Kenya	25 June 2005[53]	Embassy (Nairobi)[54][55]	‡ (Algiers)[56]	AU; Relations were frozen from 18 October 2006[57] to 6 February 2014 or shorter;[54] Kenya–SADR relations Further details On 2 December 2013 Speaker of the National Assembly of Kenya Justin Muturi announced the opening of SADR embassy in Nairobi soon.[58][59] On 11 December 2013 Sahrawi president Mohamed Abdelaziz officially visited Kenya for Independence Day celebrations.[60][61] On 6 February 2014 Sahrawi embassy was open.[54]
15	Laos	3 August 1987[62]	‡(New Delhi)	—	ASEAN
16	Lesotho	5 April 1990[63]	‡ (Pretoria)	‡ (Kuwait City)[64]	AU
17	Mauritius	1983[65][when?]	‡ (Dar es Salaam)[66]	—	AU; Relations are cancelled since 17 January 2014[67] to 23 November 2015.[68]
18	Mexico	24 October 1979[69][70]	Embassy (Mexico City)[71]	‡ (New York City)[72]	Mexico–SADR relations
19	Mozambique	August 1980[73]	Embassy (Maputo)[74]	—	AU, OIC
20	Namibia	31 May 1990[75]	‡ (Luanda)[76]	‡ (Algiers)[10]	AU
21	Nicaragua	10 March 1989[77]	Embassy (Managua)[78]	‡ (New York City)[79]	Relations were frozen from 21 July 2000 to 12 January 2007.[80]
22	Nigeria	11 November 1984[81]	Embassy (Abuja)[82][83]	‡ (Algiers)[84]	AU, OIC; Nigeria–SADR relations
23	North Korea	16 March 1976[85]	—	—	—
24	Rwanda	Yes[when?]	Embassy, non resident (Kampala)[86]	—	AU
25	Sierra Leone	Yes[87][when?]	—	—	AU, OIC
26	South Africa	15 September 2004[88]	Embassy (Pretoria)[89]	‡ (Algiers)[90]	AU; SADR–South Africa relations
27	South Sudan	9 July 2011[91]	‡ (Addis Ababa)[92][93]	—	AU; Relations were cancelled from 30 September 2018[94] to 20 September 2022.[95]
28	Tanzania	Yes[when?]	Embassy (Dar es Salaam)	—	AU
29	Timor-Leste	20 May 2002[96]	Embassy (Dili)[97]	—	SADR–Timor-Leste relations
30	Uganda	7 July 1986[98]	Embassy (Kampala)[99]	‡ (Tripoli)[100]	AU, OIC
31	Uruguay	26 December 2005[101]	Embassy (Montevideo)[102]	—	—
32	Vanuatu	31 July 2008[103]	‡ (Dili)	—	—
33	Venezuela	8 December 1982[104][105]	Embassy (Caracas)	‡ (Algiers)[106]	SADR–Venezuela relations
34	Vietnam	2 March 1979[107]	—	‡ (Algiers)[108]	ASEAN
35	Zimbabwe	25 May 1983[109]	Embassy (Harare)[110][111][112]	‡ (Algiers)[11]	AU

Former diplomatic relations

Former relations of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR)

  SADR, as claimed

  Diplomatic relations^{[note 3]} and recognition^{[note 4]} of SADR in the past

  Recognition^{[note 4]} of SADR in the past only

A total of 20 states or more^{[note 3]} maintained official diplomatic relations with the SADR in the past; they are currently suspended, frozen or cancelled. As of 21 November 2024, Panama is the most recent nation to formally cancel diplomatic relations with the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.

#	State	Relations established	Former Sahrawi mission[note 5][note 6]	Former mission to Sahrawi Republic[note 5]	Notes
1	Burundi	2 September 1980[115]	—	—	AU; Relations were frozen from 5 May 2006 to 16 June 2008,[116] they are cancelled since 25 October 2010.[117][118]
2	Cape Verde	30 September 1980[119]	—	—	AU; Relations are frozen from 27 July 2007.[120][121]
3	Chad	4 July 1980[122][123]	—	—	AU; Relations are suspended from 17 March 2006.[124] Further details On 10 July 2007 Prime Minister of Chad Delwa Kassiré Koumakoye received Sahrawi Foreign Minister Mohamed Salem Ould Salek. According to the communiqué, dated 17 July 2007 both parties decided to raise their diplomatic relations to ambassadorial level. 20 July was published Chadian objection to ignore protocol in Alwihda article where was written about Prime Minister signature of relations agreement. On the same place of Governmental web was published full text of comminiqué from 17 July 2007. It shows that Chadian objection to Alwihda article was mistakenly interpreted as a denial of diplomatic relations as such.[123] On 11 August 2018 Sahrawi President expressed appreciation for the steadfast position of Chad in supporting the Sahrawi people's right to freedom and independence.[125] In 2020, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Chad reiterated that Chad has severed any relationship with SADR since 2006.[126]
4	Republic of the Congo	August 1980[127]	—	—	AU. Relations were cancelled 13 September 1996[128]
5	Costa Rica	Yes[when?]	Embassy, non-resident (Panama City)[129]	—	Relations are frozen from 22 April 2000.[129][130][131]
6	Ecuador	14 November 1983[132]	Embassy (Quito)[133][134]	Embassy, non-resident (New York City)[135]	Relations were suspended from 22 October 2024[132][136]
7	El Salvador	1989[137][when?]	Embassy, non-resident (Managua)[138]	Embassy, non-resident (New York City)	Relations were cancelled from April 1997[28] to 6 June 2009 at the latest.[139] They were cancelled again on 15 June 2019.[140]
8	Grenada	1 October 1980[141]	—	—	Relations were cancelled 16 August 2010[128]
9	Guinea-Bissau	6 October 1980[142]	Embassy (Bissau)[28]	—	AU, OIC; Relations are cancelled since 30 March 2010.[143]
10	Haiti	22 November 2006[144]	Embassy (Port-au-Prince)	—	Relations are cancelled since 2 October 2013.[145]
11	India	1985[146]	Embassy (New Delhi)[147]	Embassy, non-resident (Algiers)[148]	Relations are cancelled since 26 June 2000.[9]
12	Liberia	30 October 2012 or before[149]	Embassy, non-resident[149][where?]	—	AU; Relations were suspended after Liberia opened a consulate in Dakhla, which is occupied by Morocco.[150]
13	Madagascar	29 January 1978[151]	Embassy (Antananarivo)[147]	—	AU; Relations are frozen from 6 April 2005.[152][153]
14	Malawi	24 March 2002[154][155]	Embassy, non-resident (Nairobi)[156][157][158]	Embassy, non-resident (Cairo)[159]	AU; Relations were cancelled from 27 December 2002[160] to 1 February 2008[161] and from 16 September 2008[162][163] to 6 March 2014 or shorter.[156] They were cancelled again from 5 May 2017.[164] Further details In the past, Malawi had non-resident embassy (Cairo) in the SADR,[165] later this embassy was not accredited to Sahrawi Republic.[166] On 15 February 2012 SADR minister in charge of Africa was received by foreign minister of Malawi,[167] on 6 March 2014 SADR ambassador presented credentials to president of Malawi.[156] In 2014, Malawi embassy in Cairo was accredited to the SADR again.[159]
15	Panama	1 June 1979[168]	Embassy (Panama City)[169]	—	Main article: Panama–Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic relations Relations were suspended from 20 November 2013[170] to 7 January 2016.[171] Relations suspended again on 21 November 2024.[172]
16	Paraguay	9 February 2000[173][174]	Embassy, non-resident (Montevideo)[175]	—	Relations were frozen from 25 July 2000 to 12 August 2008,[176] they are suspended from 3 January 2014.[177][178]
17	Peru	5 May 1987[179]	Embassy (Lima)	—	Main article: Peru–Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic relations Relations were frozen from 9 September 1996[180] to 8 September 2021;[181] suspended in September 2023.[182]
18	St. Vincent and the Grenadines	14 February 2002[183]	Embassy, non-resident (Tindouf)[184][185]	—	Relations are frozen from 15 February 2013.[186]
19	São Tomé and Príncipe	25 August 1980[187]	—	—	AU; Relations were cancelled from 23 October 1996[128]
20	Seychelles	17 February 1981[188]	Embassy, non-resident (Antananarivo,[189] then Algiers)[190]	—	AU; Relations are cancelled since 17 March 2008.[191]
21	Togo	12 August 1980[192]	—	—	AU, OIC; Relations are cancelled since 18 June 1997.[128]
22	Zambia	Yes[when?]	Embassy, non-resident (Dar es Salaam)[193][194]	—	AU; Relations were cancelled from 29 March 2011.[195][196] to 21 November 2012.[197] Relations were cancelled again on 25 February 2017.[198] Further details According to Zambian sources, Foreign Minister Kabinga Pande received a bribe from Morocco for the MMD's 2011 election campaign and his personal re-election campaign in exchange for the "withdrawal" of recognition of the SADR.[199] In July 2012 it was published, that the Michael Sata Government is in the process of recognising again the SADR as a sovereign state, as well as restoring the diplomatic relations.[200][201] Early 2020 Zambian opened a consulates general in Laayoune.[202]

Relations with international organisations

The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic holds either 'member' or 'observer' status in several international organisations. It participates in the activities of organisations that have formalised its membership, as well as in activities of other organizations as a guest participant. The SADR is usually represented by a Government or national organisations such as the Sahrawi Trade Union.

International Organisation	Status	Representation	Application date	Admission date	Notes
African Union (AU; formerly Organization of African Unity)	member	Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic	23 June 1980[203]	31 August 1981[204]	SADR representative is Vice President of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) from May 2015.[205]
Committee of Intelligence and Security Services of Africa	member[206][207]	Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
International Coalition against Enforced Disappearances	member[208]	Association of the Families of Sahrawi Prisoners and Disappeared (AFAPREDESA)
International Union of Socialist Youth (IUSY)	member	Sahrawi Youth Union (UJSARIO)			UJSARIO representative was one of IUSY Vice Presidents for 2012–2014.[209]
Pan African Lawyers Union (PALU)	member[210][211]	Sahrawi Lawyers’ Union
Women's International Democratic Federation (WIDF)	member	National Union of Sahrawi Women (UNMS)
World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFDY)	member[212]	Sahrawi Youth Union
World Federation of Trade Unions	member	Sahrawi Trade Union (UGTSARIO)		28 March 2000[213]
Non-member status
African Union–European Union Summit	participant	Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic	—	—	SADR participated in all AU-EU Summits. In 2017, SADR participated on 5th Summit in Abidjan, Morocco's attempts to exclude SADR was thwarted.[214][215]
Andean Community of Nations	observer[note 7]	Sahrawi National Council	September 2011[216]	26 October 2011[217]
Central American Parliament (PARLACEN)	participant[note 8]	Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic	—	—	SADR participated in the opening conference of the PARLACEN, July 2010.[218]
Ibero-American Summit	participant[note 8]	Polisario Front	—	—	Polisario Front participated in 22nd Ibero-American Summit in Cádiz, November 2012.[219]
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies	observer[220]	Sahrawi Red Crescent		April 1977[221]
New Asian–African Strategic Partnership (NAASP)	participant[note 9]	Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic	—	—	SADR participated in first senior officials meeting of the NAASP in Durban, September 2006.[4][222]
Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)	guest[note 10]	Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic	—	—	SADR participated as guest in 16th Summit of NAM in Tehran, August 2012.
Permanent Conference of Political Parties of the Latin American and the Caribbean (COPPPAL)	participant[note 8]	Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic	—	—	SADR participated in COPPPAL meeting in Managua, September 2006.[223] SADR delegation participated in meeting of COPPPAL and ICAPP in Mexico City, October 2012.[224]
Progressive Alliance	participant[225]	Polisario Front	—	—
Socialist International	consultative member	Polisario Front		30 June 2008[226]	Admitted as observer member. Promoted to consultative member in 2017.[227]

International treaties and conventions

The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic has signed a number of international treaties, conventions, protocols and charters negotiated in the context of the African Union. SADR participates in protection of human rights, common defense or trade liberalisation by signature of following agreements.

International treaty or convention	Signature	Ratification	Notes
African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance	25 July 2010[228]	27 November 2013
African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights	10 April 1986[229]	2 May 1986
African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child	23 October 1992[230]	—
African Charter on Values and Principles of Public Service and Administration	1 July 2011[231]	—
African Continental Free Trade Agreement	21 March 2018[232]	—	A trade agreement between some African Union member states which will establish the African Continental Free Trade Area.
African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (Treaty of Pelindaba)	20 June 2006[233]	27 November 2013
AU Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption	25 July 2010[234]	27 November 2013
AU Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa (Kampala Convention)	23 August 2009[235]	27 November 2013
AU Non-aggression and Common Defence Pact	21 May 2007[236]	27 April 2009
Convention of the African Energy Commission	20 June 2006[237]	9 May 2007
Geneva Conventions	23 June 2015[238]		Polisario Front made a unilateral declaration under Article 93.3 of Protocol I to apply the four Conventions and Protocol I in the Western Sahara conflict with Morocco. Polisario Front is not recognized as a party of Conventions, but declaration was accepted by the depositary of Convenions (Swiss Federal Council).[239][240]
OAU Convention on the Prevention and Combating of Terrorism	14 July 1999[241]	9 January 2002
Protocol on the Statute of the African Court of Justice and Human Rights	25 July 2010[242]	—
Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Establishment of an African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights	25 July 2010[243]	27 November 2013
Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa	20 June 2006[244]	—
Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community (AEC Treaty)	3 June 1991[245]	25 August 1992[246]	SADR signed to the AEC Treaty,[247] but not participates in any of the AEC pillars.

Participation in international sports federations

In 2015, the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic participated for the first time in the All Africa Games, the biggest African multi-sports event.

International Organisation	Status	Representation	Application date	Admission date	Notes
African Union Sports Council[248]	member	Sahrawi Ministry of Youth and Sports[249]			In September 2015, Sahrawi Republic participated in the 11th All Africa Games.[250]
N.F.-Board[note 11]	provisional member	Sahrawi Football Federation		December 2003	In 2012, a Sahrawi team participated for the first time in the Viva World Cup hosted by Iraqi Kurdistan.
CONIFA	member	Sahrawi Football Federation		August 2016

See also

• International recognition of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
• List of diplomatic missions to the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
• List of diplomatic missions of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
• Political status of Western Sahara

Notes

1. While ambassadors usually presented credentials to Sahrawi President in Camp Rabuni in Algeria, Cuban and Namibian ambassadors in March 2018 and Zimbabwean ambassador as third in May 2018 presented credentials to Sahrawi President in Liberated Territories of the SADR (in Bir Lehlou or Tifariti).^[10][11]
2. In May 2018, delegations represented by the ambassadors of Vietnam, Ecuador, Namibia, Cuba and South Africa and diplomats from Ethiopia, Uganda, Angola and Nigeria attended the festivities commemorating the 45th anniversary of the outbreak of the Sahrawi armed struggle in Tifariti, Liberated Territories.^[12]
3. The number of States which maintained diplomatic relations with SADR in the past is likely to be more, but for any relations with States that "withdrew" or "froze" recognition of SADR many years ago we are missing sources.
4. According to international law regarding recognition of states, contained in article 6 of the Montevideo Convention on the Rights and Duties of States: "Recognition of a state simply means that the state recognizes it accepts the personality of the other with all the rights and duties determined by international law. Recognition is unconditional and irrevocable". Therefore, once one state recognizes another as a fellow sovereign state, this recognition cannot be revoked, except when one or the other ceases to exist. One can only revoke the recognition of a government (for example by breaking off diplomatic relations), not of the state itself.^[113][114]
5. The number of former embassies which existed in the past is likely to be more, but for any embassies to/of states that "withdrew" or "froze" recognition of SADR many years ago we are missing sources.
6. The former embassies usually continue to work, but as a unilateral Representative Offices without diplomatic privileges from the host country.
7. In the framework of the Andean Parliament.
8. There is not a formal status of the SADR, but here is the SADR official participation in the activities of this international organization.
9. NAASP does not have formalised membership, it is open to States of Asia and Africa.
10. There is no permanent guest status, but often several non-member states are represented as guests at NAM conferences.
11. N.F.-Board is defunct since January 2013.