Morocco claims to be in negotiation with an oil company for a new block offshore Western Sahara.
The new block, labelled Foum Ognit Offshore is located just south west of the capital city of Western Sahara, El Aaiun.
By mid January 2013, the block was labelled as "open acreage" on the maps of Morocco's state oil company ONHYM. However, as of beginning of April 2013, the block had changed status on ONHYM's maps, and is currently labelled "under negotiation". The block is 8013 sq.kilometers large.
Further oil exploration Western Sahara is according to the UN in violation of international law as long as the Saharawis don't benefit and if they do not consent. Several companies have pulled out from the territory after being made aware of the controversies involved.
Morocco occupies a part of the territory, and has no rights to negotate such deals for the territory which is not theirs.
See the status change and size adjustment of the Foum Ognit block below. The western boundary of the block is moved westwards, to the median line between the Saharawi seacoast and Spain’s Canary Islands.
ONHYM, 14.01.2013 ONHYM, 04.04.2013
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.