This paper aims at bring up the critical need for timely solution to the Western Sahara crisis by a Nigerian Initiative by means of a strategic plan. The concept of the crisis is strengthened, including an analysis stakeholder ecosystem and the contribution of NIPSS as partner in the overall effort of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

1. A CASE STUDY ON IMPENDING REVIEW OF
NIGERIA’S POLICY ON THE WESTERN
SAHARA CRISIS
BY
TANKO AHMED, fwc
Senior Fellow (Security & Strategic Studies), NIPSS, Kuru-Jos
ta_mamuda@yahoo.com 08037031744

2. CONTRIBUTORY NOTES

3. INTRODUCTION
Speed Reading:
• Western Sahara crisis dangerously neglected;
• A strategic plan required to arrive at referendum;
• Nigeria to mend fences amongst critical stakeholders; and
• A conference to design and implement referendum and
establish Saharawi nation.

4. Background
• Leadership turnover has caused a lot of
inconsistencies in the conduct of Nigeria’s foreign
policy otherwise noted as Afro-centric consistent,
with support for decolonization and self-
determination as one of its main drivers (Ezirim, n. d.).
• The Western Sahara crisis is an issue dangerously
neglected by Nigerian governments, intellectuals,
diplomats and policy-based institutions like NIPSS
and NIIA, with the issue of referendum for
independence long overdue (Sanda, 1987; 2014).
• The National Institute for Policy and Strategic
Studies (NIPSS) has no single substantial work in
research, studies or conferencing specifically
dedicated to the Western Sahara crisis.

5. Nature of Crisis
• The issue has over the years spiraled out of range for Nigeria and
Africa resulting in the membership withdrawal of the Kingdom of
Morocco, one of the major stakeholders in the crisis, from the
African Union (Carthy, 2002).
• The acts of denial by the international community; non-
cooperation and impunity of the Kingdom of Morocco; and
further ‘no-action’ by regional leaders like Nigeria negate the
principles of international relations (Saley, 2008).
• The impending review of the issue therefore requires a well
spelt-out strategic planning, addressed by this submission,
as the main thrust of NIPSS’s contribution.
• An issue-based strategic plan would identify key
stakeholders and problem at hand, analyze related ideas,
and propose solutions for implementation (Lins, n.d; Ezendu,
2012).

6. Literature Trend
• Literature on the subject of Western Sahara has been
dominated by American and French scholars who favour
Spain and Morocco, with its impact spinning the crisis out
of the African influence into a global perspective and
inconclusive moves led by the United Nations (Pazzanita,
1996).
• Research activities capable of countering external
dominance and influencing policy are lacking (Sanda, 1987;
2014).
• However, a recent and most authoritative submission on
the problem (Anyaoku, 2012:75) posited that the 1985
Buhari regime’s “… handling of Saharawi Arab Democratic
Republic was the most popular foreign policy decision
taken during brief period of the administration”.

7. Problem Statement
• This paper aims at bring up the critical need
for timely solution to the Western Sahara
crisis by a Nigerian Initiative by means of a
strategic plan.
• The concept of the crisis is strengthened,
including an analysis stakeholder ecosystem
and the contribution of NIPSS as partner in
the overall effort of the Ministry for Foreign
Affairs.

8. Concept of Western Sahara Crisis
• The Western Sahara crisis has been on ‘active
or frozen state’ since 1975 revolving around a
referendum on self-determination and
independence as its settlement (NOREF, 2009).
• Several stakeholder- nations, internal groups,
organizations and NGOs have been involved
without arriving at any logical conclusion on
the issue of referendum as the recurring
milestone on the road to finding lasting
solution.

9. Analysis of Stakeholders in The Crisis
• Major stakeholders in the crisis include countries
most contiguous to Western Sahara like Morocco
and Algeria; and other countries afar but concerned
with the issue like Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya and
Libya.
• Also there are colonial masters like Spain and
France; regional and global bodies like the African
Union (AU) and United Nations; and internal actors
like the Polisario Liberation movement.
• All these are key players whose cooperation,
collaboration and coordination are critical to any
settlement of the crisis, particularly the issue of
referendum.

10. Contribution of NIPSS to the
Impending Review
• A Nigerian strategic plan for solution of the Western Sahara
crisis will aim at rallying all stakeholders in the 3Cs of
cooperation, collaboration and coordination incomplete.
• This will involve the conduct of stakeholder ‘buy-in’
diplomacy for support and commitment of Morocco, Algeria,
the African Union, United Nations, Spain, France, the
Polisario and Saharawi people through a conference.
• The objectives of the conference are to mend fences
amongst the contiguous partners in the crisis on the
roadmap to conducting a referendum and the final
establishment of the Western Sahara nation.

11. Conclusion
• The Western Sahara crisis lasts for too long
necessitating attention to the conduct of a
successful referendum which is critical to
arriving at a lasting solution.
• Nigeria stands to gain immensely by initiating a
strategic plan, including a stakeholder
conference leading to systematic application
workable remedies.
• The National Institute seeks to partner with the
Ministry for Foreign Affairs in the quest for
finding a lasting solution to the Western Sahara
crisis.

12. Reference
Anyaoku, E. (ed.) (2012). Review of Nigeria’s Foreign Policy: Issues and Perspectives. Lagos, NGA: Presidential
Advisory Council and Nigerian Institute for International Affairs.
Carthy, J. (2002). The Western Sahara: A Case Study, Unpublished Paper Written for University of
Portsmouth, United Kingdom.
Ezendu, E. (2012). Strategic Planning Models Retrieved from www.slidesshare.net/ezendu/strategi-planning-
models-11150946, on June 13, 2014
Ezirim, G. E. (n. d.). Fifty Years of Nigeria’s Foreign Policy: A Critical Review; Retrieved form
http://www.academia.edu/345652/Fifty_Years_of_Nigerias_Foreign_Policy_A_Critical_Review on July 12,
2014.
Lins, N. E. (n. d). Strategic Planning: A Worthwhile Process? Retrieved from
www.nancylins.com/resources.html on June 13, 2014
NOREF Briefing (2009) Western Sahara Info Brief, Norwegian Peace Building Centre. Retrieved from
http://www.peacebuilding.no/ver/ezflow_site.pdf on July 12, 2014
Saley, E. (2008) Summary and Main Conclusion at the Conference on Multilateralism and International Law
with Western Sahara as a Case Study; Retrieved from
http://www.unisa.ac.za/contents/faculties/law/docs/19saley.pdf on July 12, 2014.
Sanda, J. G. (1987) “Nigeria’s Policy Towards African Liberation Struggles: A Case Study of the Western
Sahara”, Unpublished MSc Thesis Submitted to the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
__________ (2014) A Scheduled Interview with Julie G. Sanda, Senior Fellow at the National Defence College,
Abuja, on Tuesday, July 15, 2014: 11:55am.