Foreign relations of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
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The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) is a government in exile, meaning it does not effectively control its claimed territory, the former Spanish colony of Western Sahara. The Polisario front, the military wing that controls the SADR, currently claims to administer the area that it calls the Free Zone, the eastern strip of Western Sahara. It conducts diplomatic relations with a number of other states from its headquarters at refugee camps at Tindouf in Algeria.
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[edit] Recognition
The SADR is recognized by 49 states. Several states that do not recognize the Sahrawi Republic, however, recognize the Polisario movement as a legitimate representative of the population of the Western Sahara, but not its government-in-exile as a state.
On the other hand, Moroccan sovereignty over the territory is explicitly supported by the Arab League[1],[2]and by 25 states. For a list of these governments, see Foreign relations of Morocco.
Besides Mexico and South Africa, India was the only major power to have ever recognized SADR when it allowed the Sahrawi Republic to open a consulate in New Delhi in 1985. However, India withdrew its recognition in 2000.
As with any fluid political situation, diplomatic recognitions of either party's rights are subject to frequent and sometimes unannounced change.
[edit] States recognizing the SADR
The following is a list of governments of the world that have formally recognized Western Sahara as a sovereign nation, with the exiled Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic as its legitimate government.
After recognizing an independent Western Sahara, some states have since retracted their recognitions. Others have chosen a milder option, to "freeze" recognition pending the outcome of the referendum on self-determination or for other reasons.
This list is based on several sources, and it may be incomplete. Currently, it contains 83 countries, and of these
- 49 recognize the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.
- 13 of these 49 are home to Sahrawi embassies.
- 13 have "frozen" relations.
- 22 have cancelled relations.
- 1 have ceased to exist.
Note: The tables can be sorted alphabetically or chronologically using the 
icon.
| State | Date of recognition | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Madagascar | February 28, 1976 | Froze recognition June 4, 2005 |
| Benin | March 11, 1976 | Canceled March 21, 1997 |
| Togo | March 17, 1976 | Canceled June 1997 |
| South Yemen (PDRY and PRSY) | February 2, 1977 | It is unknown whether diplomatic recognition was ever extended by the government of the unified Republic of Yemen. |
| Seychelles | October 25, 1977 | The Seychelles withdrew official recognition of the SADR on March 17, 2008, according to a Seychellois official.[5] |
| Republic of Congo | June 3, 1978 | Canceled September 13, 1996 |
| São Tomé and Príncipe | June 22, 1978 | Canceled October 23, 1996 |
| Equatorial Guinea | November 3, 1978 | Canceled May 1980 |
| Afghanistan | May 23, 1979 | Canceled July 12, 2002 |
| Cape Verde | July 4, 1979 | Withdrew recognition on 27 July 2007 [30] |
| Ghana | August 24, 1979 | Frozen May 2001 |
| Dominica | September 1, 1979 | Frozen. |
| St. Lucia | September 1, 1979 | Canceled March 1989 |
| Sierra Leone | March 27, 1980 | Frozen c. 2002-2003 |
| Swaziland | April 28, 1980 | Canceled June 1997 |
| Chad | July 4, 1980 | Canceled May 9, 1997 (Apparently re-started and then canceled again March 18, 2006 [31]). |
| Costa Rica | October 30, 1980 | Frozen April 2000 |
| Tuvalu | August 12, 1981 | Canceled September 15, 2000 |
| Kiribati | August 12, 1981 | Canceled September 15, 2000 |
| Nauru | August 12, 1981 | Canceled September 15, 2000 |
| Solomon Islands | August 12, 1981 | Canceled January 1989 |
| Burkina Faso | March 4, 1984 | Canceled June 5, 1996 |
| Peru | August 16, 1984 | Suspended relations, October 1996 |
| Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia | November 28, 1984 [32] | The country ceased to exist in 1992. Canceled by Serbia and Montenegro, October 28, 2004, but due to legal international order Serbia and Montenegro did not have capacity to make that decision.[6] |
| Colombia | February 27, 1985 | Frozen December 2000. |
| Liberia | July 31, 1985 | Canceled September 1997 |
| India | October 1, 1985 [33] | Canceled June 26, 2000 |
| Guatemala | April 10, 1986 | Frozen April 1998. In 2002, denied ever recognizing SADR [34]. |
| Dominican Republic | June 24, 1986 | Frozen on May 23, 2002 |
| Albania | December 29, 1987 [35] | Canceled November 9, 2004 |
| El Salvador | July 31, 1989 | Canceled April 1997 |
| Honduras | November 8, 1989 | Frozen January 2000 |
| Malawi | November 16, 1994 | Canceled June 2001; later reinstated and canceled again September 18, 2008[7] |
| Paraguay | February 9, 2000 | Frozen 25 June 2000 |
[edit] References
- General
- "States recognizing the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic" (in Arabic). Official Website of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. http://www.rasd-state.ws/reconocimientos_rasd.htm. Retrieved on 2008-04-21.
- Specific
- ^ Burundi recognizes the SADR
- ^ http://www.spsrasd.info/en/infos/2007/01/sps-e120107.html
- ^ "Vanuatu and the Saharawi Republic establish diplomatic relations at Ambassadorial level". UPES. 2008-08-09. http://www.upes.org/body1_eng.asp?field=sosio_eng&id=1095. Retrieved on 2008-08-09.
- ^ Kalley, Jacqueline Audrey. Southern African Political History: a chronological of key political events from Independence to Mid-1997, 1999. Page 304.
- ^ "Seychelles withdraws recognition for SADR". Panapress (Afrik.com). 2008-03-18. http://en.afrik.com/news11537.html. Retrieved on 2008-04-10.
- ^ Arbitration Commission of the Peace Conference on the former Yugoslavia Opinion No. 10 (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia - Serbia and Montenegro) In this decision, the Commission ruled that the FRY (Serbia and Montenegro) could not legally be considered a continuation of the former SFRY, but was rather a new state. Thus the European Community (and the UN) should not automatically recognize the FRY, but apply to it the same criteria to applied to the recognition of the other post-SFRY states.
- ^ Malawi withdraws recognition of Western Sahara govt: report
