New book on the plunder of Western Sahara
Article image
A new book has been published describing the political aspects of the natural resources plunder of occupied Western Sahara.
Published 18 June 2018


The book is titled ‘Profit over Peace in Western Sahara – How commercial interests undermine self-determination in the last colony in Africa’ and is published at Sternberg Press.

It is edited by Erik Hagen (board member of Western Sahara Resource Watch) and Mario Pfeiffer.

The book explores the political arguments that that the European Commission used to defend the illegal EU fisheries agreement in the waters offshore Western Sahara back in 2011. It also studies the arrest of the NM Cherry Blossom bulk vessel in South Africa in 2017, containing phosphate rock from the territory.

The book is divided into an English and an Arabic section, containing the same content.

For any question regarding the book, please contact the author at erik@wsrw.org.

book2_609.jpg

Trial underway over firebombing of WSRW partner in Denmark

A trial has begun in Copenhagen against four men accused of carrying out the January 2025 arson attack on the offices of WSRW partner Global Aktion.

15 June 2026

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.

05 June 2026

The conflict phosphates - four decades of plunder

For over 40 years, a Moroccan state-owned company has exported phosphate rock from occupied Western Sahara.  

29 May 2026

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.

29 May 2026