Mauritanian University Students and Ministry Reach Accord after Months of Protests
After months of protests, Mauritanian university students and the country’s Ministry of Higher Education have reached an agreement that addresses key students demands and eases tensions on campuses.
The National Union of Mauritanian Students and other student unions have been leading protests since mid-December to highlight student demands for improvements in educational and campus services at universities. Tensions escalated last month when security forces began intervening to disperse demonstrators. Student unions accused the ministry of “militarising” the University of Nouakchott campus.
However, representatives from the ministry and the student unions say they have now reached a resolution that effectively concludes the protest movement.
“From our perspective, as representatives of the participating student unions in the meeting, we consider the crisis to have subsided,” a student union leader who asked to remain anonymous told Al-Fanar Media. “Our primary focus now is on ensuring the fulfilment of commitments made by the ministry’s representatives towards meeting the students’ demands.”
The agreement was signed on March 3 during a meeting between the ministry, other government agencies, the National Union of Mauritanian Students (UNEM), and other student unions.
According to minutes of the meeting obtained by Al-Fanar Media, the agreement addresses scholarship criteria and other financial aid issues, health insurance for students not benefitting from scholarships, inadequate campus services and housing, transportation needs, and student elections.
It was agreed that the ministry would establish a committee, including student union representation, to formulate criteria for providing social assistance and health insurance coverage to non-scholarship students, to be considered for implementation during the 2024–2025 academic year. The ministry also agreed to take steps to ensure that medical specialisation students and doctoral students can access scholarships.
It also agreed to open the library at the University of Nouakchott’s new campus by the end of this month, to begin renovations of the old university housing in preparation for its reopening this fall, and to continue discussions with the National Centre for University Services and the National Transport Company about improvements to student transportation. The latter entails considering proposals from the student unions about revising bus routes and establishing more stops at locations that serve student needs.
During the meeting, the minister instructed institutions overseeing student elections to collaborate with student unions in setting a date for elections.
Representatives of the ministry, the National Union of Mauritanian Students (UNEM), the General Union of Mauritanian Students, the National Union of Students (UEP), and the National Syndicate of Students in Mauritania all signed the document.
Students Celebrate the Agreement
UNEM, the country’s largest student union, arranged a festival to celebrate the ministry’s agreement to address the students’ major demands. Mohamed Yahya Mustafa, UNEM’s secretary-general, outlined key provisions of the agreement and said the union would closely monitor the ministry’s progress in putting them into effect.
Mohamed Hamadi Sidi Hibel, assistant secretary-general of UNEM and chairman of its Protest Movement Committee, thanked all university students for supporting the union and participating in its advocacy efforts. He said the ministry’s responsiveness was proof of the legitimacy and fairness of the students’ demands.
The union had earlier accused the ministry of adopting a militaristic approach to student protests, exacerbating tensions on campuses. In a series of statements on Facebook in late February and early March, UNEM denounced a heavy-handed police response to student protests, including the use of tear gas and force to disperse student marches. Numerous students suffered serious injuries, including suffocation and fractures.
Pictures and a video clip showing police officers pursuing students at the University of Nouakchott drew widespread attention. The union condemned the ministry’s allowance of police intervention on university campuses as a violation of academic sanctity.
In late February, the union issued a call for synchronised protests across all university campuses on March 1, culminating in a large-scale march from the old university to the Ministry of Higher Education.
The call asked parliamentary representatives, civil society organisations, human rights groups, the news media, and other stakeholders to stand in solidarity with students’ struggle for their legitimate rights. This call to action persisted until the agreement with the ministry was reached on March 3.
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