Days after the ECJ ruling, Morocco is still trying to find a company that will connect its illegal energy projects in occupied Western Sahara to the Moroccan grid.
Morocco is working to connect the energy that it produces in occupied Western Sahara, to the Moroccan networks, through a politically and legally highly controversial project.
According to the Moroccan news service Le 360, the Moroccan authorities have needed to postpone six times the conclusion of a tender for the 3GW high voltage connection that will link Dakhla in Western Sahara to Casablanca in Morocco.
Some of the companies interested in the tender are said to be needing “more time to prepare the application files”. The new deadline for submitting applications has now been set for 12 November, according to the ONEE website
The last postponement of the Moroccan energy authority ONEE was reportedly made a month ago, in order to update certain prequalification criteria.
In 2023, Western Sahara Resource Watch (WSRW) wrote about the Moroccan government’s plans to build its 1,400 km-long so-called “electric highway” connecting Morocco to the territory that it holds under foreign occupation. WSRW warned that companies should not bid on the tender.
In April, the French government announced that it was ready to finance the cable. The French government is one of Morocco’s most consistent partners, and has on numerous occasions blocked the ability of the UN mission in Western Sahara to monitor human rights violations.
Morocco has over the last years tried to attract European governments and companies to invest in its renewable energy programmes. A substantial part of these programmes are located in the occupied territory. The Court of Justice of the EU on 4 October passed another three rulings annulling EU-Morocco agreement in Western Sahara, arguing that the territory is separate and distinct from Morocco, which has no sovereignty or mandate to administer the territory. The Court has furthermore introduced severe conditions on any potential new agreement, ensuring that the Saharawi people can no longer be by-passed and that their right to self-determination and to permanent sovereignty of the territory’s resources are thoroughly protected.
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.
Morocco to double dirty green energy in occupied Western Sahara
The Moroccan government is allegedly planning a $2.1 billion investment in new controversial infrastructure projects in occupied Western Sahara.
Green Reefers aided Russia in plundering Saharawi fish
Last week, the Norwegian shipping company Green Reefers delivered frozen fish to Russia that had been caught in occupied Western Sahara in violation of international law.
Guterres mentions resource problems to UN Security Council
The UN Secretary General notes the concerns of Morocco's use of the natural resources in Western Sahara in his latest report to the UN Security Council.