This list is based on several sources, and it may be incomplete. Currently, it contains '''82''' countries, and of these
This list is based on several sources, and it may be incomplete. Currently, it contains '''82''' countries, and of these
* '''45''' recognize the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.
* '''??''' recognize the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.
* '''?''' of these 45 are home to Sahrawi embassies.
* '''?''' of these 45 are home to Sahrawi embassies.
* '''?''' have "frozen" relations.
* '''?''' have "frozen" relations.
Line 197:
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| [[Chad]]
| [[Chad]]
| [[July 4]], [[1980]]
| [[July 4]], [[1980]]
| Canceled [[May 9]], [[1997]] (Apparently re-started and then cancelled again March 18, 2006 [http://www.moroccotimes.com/News/article.asp?id=13562]). On 17 July 2007 Chad announced it would resume diplomatic relations with the SADR [http://www.spsrasd.info/en/infos/2007/07/sps-e170707-2.htm]
| Canceled [[May 9]], [[1997]] (Apparently re-started and then cancelled again March 18, 2006 [http://www.moroccotimes.com/News/article.asp?id=13562]).
The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) is a government in exile; this means that it does not control the entirety of 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.
Recognition
The SADR is recognized by 45 states (not including 22 states that have cancelled their earlier recognitions and 13 that have frozen their relations). For a list of these governments, see below. Non-recognition of the Sahrawi republic does not imply non-recognition of the Polisario Front: several governments acknowledge Polisario as the legitimate representative of the Sahrawi people, but not its exile government as a state.
Although Morocco claims that no recognition is required, Moroccan sovereignty over the territory is explicitly supported, but not recognized, formally by the Arab League[1],[2]and by 25 states. For a list of these governments, see Foreign relations of Morocco.
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. If the results are in favor of independence, these governments will then resume the frozen contacts, while a government who has "canceled" recognition (or never recognized Western Sahara), will not necessarily do so.
This list is based on several sources, and it may be incomplete. Currently, it contains 82 countries, and of these
?? recognize the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.