The government of Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) has called on the Nigerian government and the international community to intervene in its struggle for self-determination and to end Moroccan occupation.
Minister of Foreign Relations and Africa Affairs for SADR Mohamed Bessat, made the call on Wednesday in Abuja.
Bessat said Nigeria was very important because of its size, economy, population, military, finance and moral authority in the continent.
He said Nigeria had supported all the Portuguese colonies, like Guinea Bissau, Cape Verde, Angola and Mozambique in the past.
According to him, Nigeria’s strong presence at the international arena has helped the African continent to close the chapter of de-colonisation.
“We are pleading to our brothers to continue this well known tradition of anti-colonial solidarity and Pan-African brotherhood.
“Nigeria should continue such support until we finish this last chapter of the de-colonisation of the continent through the implementation of the Sahrawi right of being a nation, ” he said.
SADR is a country in the Northwest Africa, located between Mauritania, Algeria and South of Morocco.
Its population is estimated at over 700,000.
Bessat said his visit to was on the invitation of Yusuf Tuggar, the Minister of Foreign Affairs,” he said.
He said the visit was in the framework of the long standing relations of brotherhood, solidarity and cooperation between Nigeria and SADR.
The minister said that Morocco was presently occupying almost two third of the territory.
“The African Union (AU), in collaboration with the United Nations, has been trying over the years to get a settlement, ” he said.
He said the purpose of the visit to Nigeria was to brief the Nigerian authorities about the situation.
According to him, SADR is one of the richest countries in the world because it has abundant natural resources like petrol, gas, gold, diamond, phosphate, among others.
SADR is recognised by 44 UN member states and South Ossetia.
It is one of the two African states in which Spanish is a major language, and the other country is Equatorial Guinea.
It faces significant economic challenges, including limited resources and infrastructure, particularly in the areas it controls.
The population mostly live in refugee camps in Algeria and in the parts of Western Sahara controlled by Morocco.
