The Western Sahara oil curse
Big oil’s interest in occupied Western Sahara has taken a dramatic turn for the worse. Some companies are now drilling, in complete disregard of international law and the Saharawi people’s rights. Here’s what you need to know.
Published 06 November 2015
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The companies
The lies
Take actionIt is unseen: a country is carrying out a large-scale oil exploration programme outside of its national borders. When that happened last time, under Indonesia’s occupation of East Timor, the activities were widely condemned and universally acknowledged as illegal.
Yet, this is precisely what Morocco is doing now in Western Sahara. But this time, the entire international community looks away.
Western Sahara is often called the last colony of Africa, and the UN treats it as such; as a Non-Self Governing Territory without an administering power in place. The people of Western Sahara, the Saharawis, have an internationally recognised right to self-determination; the right to decide the future status of the land and its resources.
The Saharawis have time and again spoken out against the oil development in their occupied homeland. Their voices are ignored by Morocco, the international community and the oil companies that choose to side with Morocco, who all seem to put profit over people.
Read up on big oil in Western Sahara, and find out what you can do to help put an end this injustice.
News
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Representatives from all political groups in the European Parliament today grilled the European Commission over bending EU rules to appease Morocco with regard to labelling of products from occupied Western Sahara.
20 November 2025
GLOBALG.A.P. misleads EU retailers
The certification scheme that claims to champion legal compliance has circulated misleading information about EU labelling rules for products originating from occupied Western Sahara.
20 November 2025
Distribution giant quietly deletes fake information
French agri-supplier Sofruce deleted false territorial claims and certificate references after scrutiny.
19 November 2025
UN’s Western Sahara vote raises more questions than it answers
Behind the headlines and diplomatic spin suggesting that the Security Council is now siding with Morocco lies a more complex reality - one that hinges on the very right that Rabat has spent decades trying to bury: self-determination.
18 November 2025