Mauritania Students Protest Transport Fare Hike

University students in Mauritania’s capital, Nouakchott, have boycotted lectures to protest higher transport fares and demand better living and study conditions.

The boycott left Al Aasriya University, the country’s largest university, almost deserted on Tuesday, according to AFP journalists.

Students said the protest followed an increase in state-subsidised transport fares from five ouguiyas (about $0.13) to 30 ouguiyas (about $0.75). They are also demanding more bus services and better living and study conditions.

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Since last Friday, a group known as the “Student Front”, made up of students and several unions, has organised demonstrations on campus. The group has also called for strikes, sit-ins and marches to pressure authorities into providing “concrete responses” to their demands.

Al Aasriya University NC — Al Aasriya University. Credit: The Jerusalem Post.

Tensions escalated on Monday when police used batons and tear gas to disperse a gathering of students on and around the campus.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Higher Education has announced measures to improve students’ conditions. The ministry cited rising student numbers as one factor behind the challenges.

However, it said the government had increased bus services in response to the growing demand. The students’ boycott highlights ongoing concerns about transport costs, access to services, and living and study conditions at universities in Mauritania.

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