Samiratu Sullaiman November 15, 2025
The Organisation of African Trade Union Unity (OATUU) has renewed its support for the Sahrawi people, insisting that their right to self-determination remains “imprescriptible and inalienable” as Western Sahara continues to await full decolonisation.
In a statement issued on November, 02 2025, the continental labour body said its stance is rooted in its history of anti-colonial struggle and its commitment to solidarity, justice, and freedom for peoples.
OATUU stressed that Western Sahara is still recognised by the United Nations as a non-self-governing territory, and therefore, the decolonisation process on the African continent remains incomplete.
“The Sahrawi people’s right to determine their future cannot be delayed, denied or negotiated away,” the organisation said.
The labour union expressed concern over what it described as the disregard shown toward proposals submitted by the Polisario Front, the internationally recognised representative of the Sahrawi people, to the UN Secretary-General. This lack of engagement, OATUU argued, undermines the joint peace plan of the UN and the African Union and contradicts international justice.
Reaffirming its position, OATUU declared its unwavering commitment to the Sahrawi cause and urged the United Nations to “ensure a fair and inclusive political process, guaranteeing the full participation of the Polisario Front in all negotiations concerning their future.”
The body also expressed solidarity with Sahrawi workers, pledging support for their struggle for dignity, freedom, and social justice. It called on African trade unions and workers across the continent to stand in unity with the Sahrawi people and oppose any attempt to undermine their rights.
OATUU stressed that peace and sustainable development in Africa are impossible without respecting the right of peoples to self-determination and completing the continent’s decolonisation process.
“Peace, stability, and development cannot be achieved without scrupulous respect for the right of peoples to self-determination,” the Secretariat said.