With Kenya and Ghana backing Morocco, Polisario turns to Nigeria

The Polisario Front has expressed concern over the possibility of Nigeria officially recognizing Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara, following similar moves by Kenya and Ghana. In an effort to prevent such a development, the Polisario’s «Minister of Foreign Affairs» traveled to Abuja in hopes of meeting with his Nigerian counterpart, Yusuf Tuggar.

However, Mohamed Yeslem Beissat was only received by the Permanent Secretary of the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Dunoma Umar Ahmed, as briefly noted by the ministry on its official X account.

For its part, the Polisario’s press agency released a statement saying the discussions focused on bilateral relations, ways to strengthen them, and other topics of mutual interest. It is worth recalling that Nigeria established diplomatic relations with the Polisario in 1984, and Abuja currently hosts a Polisario «embassy».

Beissat’s visit comes at a time when Kenya and Ghana, long viewed as steadfast supporters of the Polisario, have publicly expressed their backing for Morocco’s autonomy plan.

It is also notable that a delegation from Nigeria’s National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies visited Algeria at the end of May.