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 1973. In 1966, United Nations General Assembly Resolution 22/29 affirmed for the first time the Sahrawi right on self determination. In 1979, United Nations General Assembly Resolution 34/37 reaffirmed again 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.

. Of these, have "frozen" or "withdrawn" recognition for a number of reasons.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. 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 on meetings of the Non Aligned Movement or the New Asian–African Strategic Partnership, over Moroccan objections to SADR participation. On the other hand, upholding Moroccan "territorial integrity" is favoured by the Arab League. 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.|group="note"|name="asotrecog group2"

A total of 36 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. Eight 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 Notes 1 6 March 1976 Embassy (Algiers) — AU, Arab League, OIC; Algeria–SADR relations 2 Yes Embassy (Luanda) Embassy, non resident (Algiers) AU 3 18 November 1986 Embassy, non resident (Managua) — — 4 14 November 1982 — Relations were suspended from 20 January 2020 to 16 September 2021. 5 6 August 2018 Embassy (Gaborone) Embassy, non resident (Addis Ababa) AU 6 1980s — — 7 27 February 1984 — — Relations were frozen from 20 December 2000 to 10 August 2022. 8 21 January 1980 Embassy (Havana) Embassy, non resident (Algiers) Cuba–SADR relations 9 20 May 2002 Embassy (Dili) — East Timor–SADR relations 10 Yes Embassy (Quito) Embassy, non resident (New York City) — 11 Yes Embassy (Addis Ababa) Embassy, non resident (Rome) AU 12 Yes Embassy (Accra) Embassy, non resident (Algiers) AU 13 5 June 2013 — — — 14 25 June 2005 Embassy (Nairobi) Embassy, non resident (Algiers) AU; Relations were frozen from 18 October 2006 to 6 February 2014 or shorter; On 11 December 2013 Sahrawi president Mohamed Abdelaziz officially visited Kenya for Independence Day celebrations. On 6 February 2014 Sahrawi embassy was open. Embassy, non resident (New Delhi) — — 16 Yes Embassy, non resident (Pretoria) Embassy, non resident (Kuwait City) AU 17 1983 Embassy, non resident (Dar es Salaam) — AU; Relations are cancelled from 17 January 2014 to 23 November 2015. 18 24 September 1979 Embassy (Mexico City) Embassy, non resident (New York City) Mexico–SADR relations 19 26 September 1984 Embassy (Maputo) — AU, OIC 20 21 May 1991 Embassy, non resident (Luanda) Embassy, non resident (Algiers) AU 21 10 March 1989 Embassy (Managua) Embassy, non resident (New York City) Relations were frozen from 21 July 2000 to 12 January 2007. 22 11 November 1984 Embassy (Abuja) Embassy, non resident (Algiers) AU, OIC; Nigeria–SADR relations 23 16 March 1976 — — — 24 1 June 1979 Embassy (Panama City) — Relations were suspended from 20 November 2013 to 7 January 2016; Panama–SADR relations 25 Yes Embassy, non resident (Kampala) — AU 26 Yes — — AU, OIC 27 15 September 2004 Embassy (Pretoria) Embassy, non resident (Algiers) AU; SADR–South Africa relations 28 9 July 2011 Embassy, non resident (Addis Ababa) — AU; Relations were cancelled from 30 September 2018 to 20 September 2022. 29 Yes Embassy (Dar es Salaam) — AU 30 Yes Embassy (Kampala) Embassy, non resident (Tripoli) AU, OIC 31 26 December 2005 Embassy (Montevideo) — — 32 31 July 2008 Embassy, non resident (Dili) — — 33 December 1982 Embassy (Caracas) Embassy, non resident (Algiers) SADR–Venezuela relations 34 2 March 1979 — Embassy, non resident (Algiers) — 35 3 June 1980 Embassy (Harare) Embassy, non resident (Algiers) AU

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 NotesAfrican Union (AU; formerly Organization for African Unity)memberSahrawi Arab Democratic Republic23 June 198031 August 1981SADR representative is Vice President of the Pan African Parliament (PAP) from May 2015. Committee of Intelligence and Security Services of Africamember Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic International Coalition against Enforced Disappearancesmember Association of the Families of Sahrawi Prisoners and Disappeared (AFAPREDESA)International Union of Socialist Youth (IUSY)memberSahrawi Youth Union (UJSARIO) UJSARIO representative was one of IUSY Vice Presidents for 2012–2014. Pan African Lawyers Union (PALU)member Sahrawi Lawyers’ UnionWomen's International Democratic Federation (WIDF)memberNational Union of Sahrawi Women (UNMS) World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFDY)memberSahrawi Youth Union World Federation of Trade UnionsmemberSahrawi Trade Union (UGTSARIO)28 March 2000 Non member statusAfrican Union–European Union Summit participantSahrawi 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. Andean Community of NationsobserverSahrawi National CouncilSeptember 201126 October 2011Central American Parliament (PARLACEN)participantIbero American Summitparticipant International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent SocietiesobserverSahrawi Red CrescentApril 1977New Asian–African Strategic Partnership (NAASP)participantSahrawi Arab Democratic Republic——SADR participated in first senior officials meeting of the NAASP in Durban, September 2006. Non Aligned Movement (NAM)guestSahrawi 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)participantSahrawi Arab Democratic Republic——SADR participated in COPPPAL meeting in Managua, September 2006. SADR delegation participated in meeting of COPPPAL and ICAPP in Mexico City, October 2012. Progressive Alliance participantPolisario Front——Socialist Internationalconsultative memberPolisario Front30 June 2008Admitted as observer member. Promoted to consultative member in 2017.

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 NotesAfrican Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance25 July 201027 November 2013 African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights10 April 19862 May 1986 African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child23 October 1992— African Charter on Values and Principles of Public Service and Administration1 July 2011— African Continental Free Trade Agreement21 March 2018— 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 200627 November 2013AU Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption25 July 201027 November 2013AU Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa (Kampala Convention)23 August 200927 November 2013AU Non aggression and Common Defence Pact21 May 200727 April 2009 Convention of the African Energy Commission20 June 20069 May 2007 Geneva Conventions23 June 2015 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). OAU Convention on the Prevention and Combating of Terrorism14 July 19999 January 2002 Protocol on the Statute of the African Court of Justice and Human Rights 25 July 2010— Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Establishment of an African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights 25 July 201027 November 2013Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa20 June 2006— Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community (AEC Treaty)03 June 199125 August 1992 SADR signed to the AEC Treaty, but not participates in any of the AEC pillars.

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 member Sahrawi Ministry of Youth and Sports In September 2015, Sahrawi Republic participated in the 11th All Africa Games. N. F. Board 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 memberSahrawi Football FederationAugust 2016