WSRW's letter to EuroChem, 19 December 2019
Published 20 December 2019

The below letter was sent by WSRW to EuroChem on 19 Dec 2019

Dear Mr Dresser,

I am writing to follow-up on Lifosa AB’s halting of phosphate rock imports from occupied Western Sahara.

Our organization, Western Sahara Resource Watch, is in the process of writing an update of its annual P for Plunder report, documenting the phosphate trade from the last colony in Africa. Please find previous issues of that report here: https://www.wsrw.org/a105x4497. Lifosa will be featured in the new report, and categorized as a company that is “under observation”: a company that has not imported from Western Sahara in recent years, but one that might potentially resume purchases.

We understand that Lifosa received its last cargo of Western Sahara phosphate in October 2016, as was stated in your correspondence with us, and as is corroborated by our own vessel-tracking. While we understand from your letter to us that there are no plans for further purchases, we have not seen a formal, public statement from EuroChem indicating a policy of abstaining from the trade while the status of Western Sahara has not been settled in accordance with international law.

Accordingly, a two-fold question to EuroChem:

1. Has EuroChem released a statement announcing it will not resume phosphate imports from Western Sahara pending resolution of the conflict in accordance with international law?

2. If not, will EuroChem release such a statement in the near future?

We’d be grateful for an answer before 20 December 2019. Your clarification will allow us to properly label your company in the upcoming report. Naturally, we’d look forward to placing the company under the header of “companies no longer involved”, and as such would welcome a clear statement from EuroChem regarding its presumed decision to halt any further imports from Western Sahara.

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Sincerely,

Sara Eyckmans
Coordinator
Western Sahara Resource Watch
 

New report: Western Sahara phosphate trade halved

The export of phosphate rock from occupied Western Sahara has never been lower than in 2019. This is revealed in the new WSRW report P for Plunder, published today.

24 February 2020

Eurochem's reply to WSRW - 4 February 2020

In response to WSRW's letter to EuroChem of 3 December 2019, the company responded not to have imported in 2019 and having no plans to do so in the future.
04 February 2020

EuroChem letter to WSRW, 28.03.2018 - sent 05.04.2018

EuroChem's reply of 28 March 2018 to WSRW, stating they "have no plans to purchase supplies from Western Sahara". EuroChem's subsidiary Lifosa AB received its last shipment of the conflict mineral in October 2016, despite earlier statements they'd halt all further imports from the territory.
03 December 2019

New report on Western Sahara phosphate industry out now

Morocco shipped 1.93 million tonnes of phosphate out of occupied Western Sahara in 2018, worth an estimated $164 million, new report shows. Here is all you need to know about the volume, values, vessels and clients.

08 April 2019