The American company General Electric has communicated to WSRW that they are no longer participating in the tender to construct two wind farms in occupied Western Sahara.
"After checking with our colleagues, we have determined that GE is not participating in the tender that is the subject of your email", stated the GE’s Corporate Ombudsperson’s’ Office on behalf of GE's Board of Directors.
The statement yesterday evening came as a reply to a letter WSRW sent to the company earlier that day. The letter outlined the organisation's concerns on GE's participation in a tender by the Moroccan government to construct five wind farms - two of which were located not in Morocco, but in the occupied territory of Western Sahara; in El Aaiun and in Boujdour.
With GE pulling out, there now remain 15 companies that are contending to win the bid. WSRW has on 2 and 3 July 2013 contacted all of them, asking them to refrain from building infrastructure on occupied land.
GE Vernova, Siemens Energy and Larsen & Toubro are among the multinationals that have reportedly expressed interest to aid Morocco transport energy generated in occupied Western Sahara to Morocco proper.
At a time when the French government is ignoring all international law in Western Sahara, it places its own companies in serious risk, WSRW warns.
The Irish airline has announced a new route to Dakhla in “Morocco”, praising the occupying power for its ”support and vision in securing this major investment".
… in just one year, and under the EU-Morocco trade agreement alone.