According to information WSRW received, Total’s massive block offshore Western Sahara was signed on 6 December 2011. WSRW revealed 29 November 2012 that Total is back in Western Sahara, working on behalf of the Moroccan government, which occupies parts of the territory.
The agreement is most probably a reconnaissance agreement – the same kind of agreement that the company held in the same area in the period 2001-2004. It is said that the agreement is valid for a period of 12 months.
This means that the newly discovered agreement will expire in three days from now - Thursday 6 December 2012. Total needs, in other words to assess this week, whether it will let the agreement expire without renewing (as they did in 2004), if they will prolong the agreement, or if they will upgrade it to a full exploration licence.
“Western Sahara Resource Watch calls on all owners of Total to immediately bring this issue with Total's management. They should request both a guarantee that no further exploration activity take place in occupied Western Sahara, and an explanation as to how this could happen in the first place”, stated Erik Hagen, chair of Western Sahara Resource Watch.
Siemens Energy in total split
The CEO of Siemens Energy denounces the occupation of Ukraine, but does not “have the mandate to take a political position on such issues or to confirm a territorial status” in the occupied territory of Western Sahara where the company operates for the Moroccan government.
EU Commission continues to disregard EU Court
The EU Commission has authored a new report detailing how Moroccan settlers benefit from a trade agreement that has been found illegal by the EU Court of Justice multiple times.
Shipping company responses to the report P for Plunder 2023
The WSRW report P for Plunder 2023 to be published in March 2023 will contain information on all vessels that departed occupied Western Sahara from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2022.
NewMed insists following law - but which?
The Israeli company that signed an agreement for hydrocarbon exploration in occupied Western Sahara claims to follow “the laws in force”. But of which country?