“We hope to see more investors join us in urging companies linked to the territory to act responsibly and helping Western Sahara get the attention it needs”, said Finish investor Ilmarinen.
Finnish investor Ilmarinen together with Folksam (Sweden) and KLP (Norway) have called on the world to join their efforts in Western Sahara. Together the three investors have carried out engagement with companies in Western Sahara over a number of years, assisted by the Swedish screening company GES Investment Services.
This is written in the latest issue of the GES Invests’s magazine. The article mentions how GES and the three Nordic investors have carried out engagement with four listed companies importing phosphates from Western Sahara: namely PotashCorp, FMC, Incitec Pivot and Wesfarmers.
”Although Western Sahara has not attracted much media attention as some other conflict areas, this does not mean that it is not of importance to investors. The latest UN reports strengthen the case for investors to engage with companies operating in this area to improve the situation”, said Anna Hyrske, head of responsible investments at the Finnish investor Ilmarinen.
WSRW has previously written how a number of European investors have blacklisted companies operating in occupied Western Sahara.
Heidelberg Materials deepens its role in Morocco’s occupation of Western Sahara
The German company confirms once again that its operations in occupied Western Sahara are closely tied to Morocco’s infrastructure expansion in the territory - while continuing to dismiss the Saharawi people’s right to consent.
The conflict phosphates - four decades of plunder
For over 40 years, a Moroccan state-owned company has exported phosphate rock from occupied Western Sahara.
Record low number of importers of Western Sahara phosphates
Only three companies imported phosphate rock from occupied Western Sahara in 2025 - the lowest number ever recorded. The findings appear in our annual P for Plunder report, released today.
One of the richest coastlines in the world
The fish stocks of occupied Western Sahara have not only attracted the interest of the Moroccan fleet: other foreign interests are also fishing in the occupied waters through arrangements with Moroccan counterparts. Along the Western Saharan coastline, a processing industry has emerged.