Nigeria Reaffirms Support for Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
Oru Leonard
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its longstanding support for the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), restating its commitment to the principles of self-determination, decolonisation and respect for internationally recognised colonial borders in line with the objectives of the African Union.
The assurance was given by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, during a bilateral meeting in Abuja with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and African Affairs of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, H.E. Mohamed Yeslem Beissat, who visited Nigeria as Special Envoy of the Sahrawi Government.
According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the meeting reviewed the longstanding relations between Nigeria and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic and explored ways to deepen political dialogue, strengthen bilateral cooperation, and advance shared goals of peace, stability and sustainable development across Africa.
Ambassador Enikanolaiye reiterated Nigeria’s unwavering commitment to peaceful and just resolutions of regional challenges through dialogue and adherence to international law. He noted that Nigeria has remained consistent in its support for the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic since officially recognising the state in 1984.
The Sahrawi Foreign Minister conveyed greetings from his country’s leadership and presented a letter addressed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He expressed appreciation for Nigeria’s principled and consistent support for African causes and acknowledged the country’s role in promoting continental solidarity.
Both countries agreed to explore new areas of cooperation, including capacity building, economic collaboration and people-to-people exchanges aimed at strengthening bilateral ties.
The meeting ended with both ministers expressing confidence that the renewed engagement would further consolidate the historic friendship between Nigeria and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic while advancing the broader objectives of African unity, peace and development.
