The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has reaffirmed its solidarity with Western Sahara, pledging to continue advocating a boycott of goods produced from the territory’s natural resources without the consent of the Saharawi people.

The union made the commitment when the Ambassador of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), Brahim Salem Buseif, visited its National Secretariat in Abuja.

ASUU President, Prof. Chris Piwuna said the union’s solidarity with Western Sahara remained rooted in its opposition to colonialism in all forms and its commitment to the rights of peoples to live in freedom, dignity and peace.

According to the communiqué issued after the visit, Piwuna said ASUU would continue its “age-old solidarity with Western Sahara” and sustain its scholarship programme for Saharawi youths to help build the country’s pool of educated human resources.

“ASUU will continue to advocate for the boycott of goods from Morocco, the European Union or any part of the world, produced with Western Sahara resources without the consent of the Saharawi.”

Piwuna further said Nigerian intellectuals would join progressive forces to fight what he described as anti-people policies on the continent.

Ambassador of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), Brahim Salem Buseif thanked ASUU for what he described as its “consistent and unwavering commitment” to the complete decolonisation of Western Sahara and the removal of Moroccan forces of occupation.

He also commended the union for granting university scholarships to Saharawi youths denied education by the Moroccan monarchy, as well as for its support, alongside the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) and Nigerian Civil Society Coalition, for the Nigerian Movement for the Liberation of Western Sahara.

The ambassador further briefed ASUU on developments in the Western Sahara struggle, including what he described as moves to persuade the United Nations Security Council to support an “Autonomy Plan” under which Western Sahara would be subsumed under the Moroccan monarchy.

The communiqué quoted Buseif as saying the Saharawi people “will never accept enslavement under any guise.”

He also expressed gratitude to successive Nigerian governments for their support for the right of the Saharawi people to determine their future, while acknowledging the African Union’s continued support for the liberation of the continent.