The Spanish construction group Secopsa has obtained a contract of 6.8 million € from the Moroccan government to redevelop an area of El Aaiun, the occupied capital of Western Sahara.
The Valencia-based group has been hired to redevelop the most important road in Western Sahara's capital city, involving demolition work and the construction of a new promenade, including street lighting and furniture, playgrounds, landscaping and irrigation network.
Secopsa will commence work in the next couple of days and is expected to have completed its assignment by April 2014.
According to a press release by the company, owned by the Prieto family, "this contract strengthens the group's presence in North Africa, with major projects in Morocco for the first time".
Secopsa is already on a stint in Libya, through its local subsidiary, Secopsa Libia. The company had been hired by the Gaddafi government to refurbish hotels owned by the regime. Their activities were thwarted by the Arab spring, and the group could return to Libya only recently.
"It is understandable that companies seek a way to survive the crisis which has hit Spain hard, but there is no excuse for engaging in business deals with an occupying power inside occupied land", says Javier Garcia Lachica, President of Western Sahara Resource Watch Spain.
Cepsa, Repsol still secretive on controversial oil
The two Spanish companies that are exporting practically all petroleum into occupied Western Sahara remain non-communicative.
New controversial energy infrastructure to be built in Western Sahara
The Moroccan government has opened for a relatively large tender in Dakhla.
Spanish tugboat company going to Western Sahara
The Spanish Boluda Group is looking to Dakhla and El Aaiun in occupied Western Sahara.
GE Vernova under pressure in occupied Western Sahara
The US company GE Vernova is seemingly gambling with its lucrative projects elsewhere when it operates in occupied Western Sahara for the Moroccan government.