German trade fair should stop promoting Azura, groups say
Article image

German and Irish law organisations demand that Messe Berlin ceases to accept the controversial French tomato producer Azura.

Published 09 September 2019

The Global Legal Action Network (GLAN), based in Ireland, and the European Centre for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) released on, 6 September 2019, an open letter to Messe Berlin GmbH, the organiser of the leading Fruit Logistica trade show, and its Ombudsperson. 

The letter addresses allegations of illegal conduct by one of the show’s exhibitors and Messe’s responsibilities under the UN Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights (UNGP) in relation to their hosting of this business. 

The French company ‘Azura Group’ exports tomatoes from occupied Western Sahara to Europe. 

GLAN and ECCHR write in a release that Messe Berlin had responded poorly to a request earlier this year to make the fair stop promoting Azura, and that the two groups therefore proceeded to publish the correspondence. 

Another company of the Moroccan king involved in occupied Western Sahara

A company closely linked to Morocco’s royal business network has entered a new project in occupied Western Sahara, partnering with a Chinese state-owned electricity giant on high-voltage infrastructure in Boujdour.

10 September 2026

Don't let resource exploitation decide Western Sahara's future

Western Sahara Resource Watch calls on the UN to address the accelerating exploitation of the territory’s natural resources - and prevent it from becoming an even greater obstacle to self-determination. 

08 September 2026

Occupied Western Sahara wind complex expands into Africa's top three

The Moroccan king’s energy company appears to have completed two new phases of the Aftissat wind power complex in occupied Western Sahara.

11 August 2026

Dirty green energy on occupied land

How can it be wrong to develop renewable energy, in a world that is in desperate need for a green transition? In Western Sahara, the problems are numerous.

06 August 2026