Nigeria Reaffirms Support For Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic

The federal government has reaffirmed its longstanding support for the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), reiterating its commitment to the principles of self-determination, decolonisation and the peaceful resolution of regional disputes in line with the African Union’s objectives.

The position was restated during a bilateral meeting held in Abuja on Wednesday between the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and African Affairs of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Mohamed Yeslem Beissat, who was in Nigeria as the Special Envoy of the Sahrawi government.

The development was disclosed in a statement posted on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ official Facebook page on Thursday.

According to the ministry, the meeting reviewed the longstanding relations between Nigeria and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, with both countries discussing ways to deepen political engagement, strengthen bilateral cooperation and promote peace, stability and sustainable development across Africa.

During the meeting, Enikanolaiye reaffirmed Nigeria’s unwavering support for the Sahrawi Republic, noting that the country’s position has remained unchanged since it formally recognised the state in 1984.

The minister said Nigeria remained committed to “the principles of self-determination, decolonisation, and respect for the sanctity of colonial borders, in line with the objectives of the African Union.”

He added that Nigeria would continue to support “peaceful and just resolutions to regional challenges through dialogue and adherence to international law.”

The statement further quoted Enikanolaiye as saying that Nigeria “has remained consistent in its support for the recognition of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic since extending such recognition in 1984.”

On his part, Beissat conveyed greetings from the leadership of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic and presented a letter addressed to President Bola Tinubu.

He also commended Nigeria for what he described as its “consistent and principled stance on African issues.”

The two ministers agreed to explore new areas of cooperation, including capacity building, economic collaboration and people-to-people exchanges.

According to the ministry, the meeting ended with both countries expressing optimism that the renewed engagement would further strengthen the historic ties between Nigeria and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic while advancing the broader goals of African unity, peace and development.