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Morocco claims to be in negotiation with an oil company for a new block offshore Western Sahara.

Published 01 June 2013
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Dozens of Saharawi fishermen who took part in the protest last Saturday in the harbour of Dakhla have been summoned by the Moroccan police.

Published 29 May 2013
Still no reply on future options nor stakeholder consultation. Total respond that would be politics.
Published 29 May 2013
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On Saturday, Saharawi fishermen blocked the entrance to the harbour of Dakhla for two hours, in protest of abominable working conditions, discriminatory recruiting practices and overfishing.

Published 27 May 2013
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Morocco’s phosphate mine in occupied Western Sahara receives key Swedish equipment.

Published 26 May 2013
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The Moroccan authorities have allegedly barred the UN Peace Mission in Western Sahara from entering the harbour of Dakhla, located in the south of the occupied territory.

Published 21 May 2013
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While trade unionists marched worldwide in celebration of workers' rights on Labour Day, trade unionists in occupied Western Sahara were prevented from doing the same.

Published 05 May 2013
The European Commission and Morocco commenced first round negotiations for a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area last week in Rabat.
Published 30 April 2013
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The text of the Russia-Morocco fish accord reveals that Russian vessels are supposed to fish in the Moroccan Exclusive Economic Zone – that should preclude Western Saharan waters. WSRW has made an English translation of the Russian-Moroccan agreement.
Published 26 April 2013
While Morocco is lobbying hard against a proposal to have the UN monitor human rights in Western Sahara, the EU Commissioner for Fisheries states that she is still awaiting Rabat's response to the proposal for including human rights safeguards for the Western Sahara territory in a new EU-Morocco fisheries protocol.
Published 23 April 2013
In a letter 30 March 2013, Frente Polisario called on the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon to intervene to stop the Moroccan-French oil exploration offshore occupied Western Sahara.
Published 16 April 2013
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The Clean Development Mechanism insists on following normal approval procedures regarding Morocco's for projects in Western Sahara.

Published 12 April 2013
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While recommending Ban Ki-Moon for expressing the need for human rights monitoring in Western Sahara, WSRW laments that his report fails to address the full extent of the issue of Morocco's plunder of the territory's natural resources.

Published 12 April 2013
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'Saharawi Natural Resources Watch', dedicated to monitor the Moroccan plunder of the occupied parts of Western Sahara, was created in the Saharawi refugee camps in Algeria 9 April 2013.
Published 11 April 2013
....and other questions relating to the Western Sahara operations. Total has just emailed WSRW.
Published 11 April 2013
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As the US-Canadian company PotashCorp tomorrow receives yet another vessel filled with phosphate rock from occupied Western Sahara, WSRW writes the company for the fourth time, requesting answers.
Published 09 April 2013
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One of Switzerland’s largest supermarket chains has stated it will replace the ‘Morocco’ labels with ‘Western Sahara’ on melons that are imported from the occupied territory.

Published 09 April 2013
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The underground water reserves of occupied Western Sahara are allegedly being drained by the agricultural industry in the territory.

Published 06 April 2013
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The Moroccan Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Youssef Amrani, says that the European Parliament is a “dinosaur” that obstructs efforts to reach a new EU-Morocco fisheries agreement.

Published 05 April 2013
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A group representing over 60 MEPs has sent a letter to EU diplomacy chief Catherine Ashton and Commissioner for Fisheries Maria Damanaki, requesting them to respect the Saharawi people's wishes and interests when seeking to conclude a new fish deal with Morocco.

Published 19 March 2013
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Western Sahara Resource Watch today again asked Total, for the third time, for explanations of their operations in the waters of occupied Western Sahara.
Published 15 March 2013
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Morocco and the European Union are to begin talks over a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement in Rabat on 22 April.
Published 14 March 2013
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The new Dutch government has reiterated the position of their predecessors: Products from Western Sahara cannot enter the EU market labelled as from Morocco.

Published 13 March 2013

Chinese company BGP affirms to WSRW undertaking seabed research on behalf of French oil firm Total. This article has been updated: Seismic study to end 30 March 2013.

Published 05 March 2013
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Despite ongoing protest, German multinational Siemens is currently in the process of shipping windmill parts to El Aaiun, occupied Western Sahara. The company is partnering with the same royal family that brutally occupied the territory.

Published 05 March 2013
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"Just announced the launch of negotiations for a free-trade agreement with Morocco,'' European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso tweeted on Friday, after his meeting with Morocco’s prime minister Abdelillah Benkirane. That Free Trade Agreement will have consequences for Western Sahara.
Published 04 March 2013
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Money and Western Sahara - the two obstacles that hamper the EU-Morocco negotiations for a new fisheries agreement.
Published 27 February 2013

Read the official text on the action brought by the Frente Polisario against the Council of the European Union, as published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 23 February 2013.

Published 27 February 2013
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In a landmark initiative, the liberation movement of Western Sahara has referred an EU-Morocco free trade agreement to the European Court of Justice. The news was three days ago discreetly published in the official EU journal.

Published 27 February 2013
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On 27 February, the date of the foundation of the Western Sahara Republic in exile, the European Commission will commence talks with Morocco on a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement – a trade deal which will have a profound impact on occupied Western Sahara.
Published 25 February 2013
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In view of the incredibly harsh verdicts in the Gdeim Izik trial, which failed to meet the international standards for a fair trial, Western Sahara Resource Watch has appealed to the European Commission to put ongoing discussions for increased trade with Morocco on hold.

Published 21 February 2013
The Venezuelan company, partly owned by FMC Corp, stated in a mail to WSRW today that it does not import phosphate rock from Western Sahara.
Published 20 February 2013
Regarding possible imports from occupied Western Sahara.
Published 19 February 2013
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Western Sahara Resource Watch today asked FMC Corp’s subsidiary in Venezuela for the fourth time questions regarding its controversial imports from occupied Western Sahara. WSRW can reveal that the company might have imported twice during the last year, in spite of the mother company’s promises to investors that the imports have ended.
LATEST: Tripoliven clarifies it does not import from Western Sahara.
Published 19 February 2013
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Western Sahara Resource Watch has received this photo of the Geo Service I, the offshore supply ship accompanying the vessel BGP Prospector that is carrying out seismic seabed research for French oil giant Total.

Published 19 February 2013
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The military court in Rabat has convicted 25 Saharawi activists to shockingly tough sentences. All were arrested in relation to the Gdeim Izik protest camp; a peaceful manifestation disputing the Saharawi people’s continual marginalisation in their occupied country.

Published 17 February 2013
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The new four-year fisheries agreement between Russia and Morocco was signed officially yesterday. The agreement had already been provisionally applied since December 2012.
Published 15 February 2013

Swedish minister for trade clarifies that no states in the EU recognise Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, and that therefore products made in the territory cannot be given trade preference under the EU-Morocco trade agreements.

Published 15 February 2013

Negotiations between the European Commission and Morocco in Rabat were aborted yesterday. New talks are to take place before the end of February.

Published 12 February 2013
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Today, 24 Saharawi activists are expected to appear before a military tribunal in Morocco. All of them were arrested in the aftermath of the Gdeim Izik protest camp - an immense gathering of Saharawi civilians in the occupied territories, united in their demand to have their social and economic rights respected.
Published 08 February 2013
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While French oil company Total is exploring for oil off occupied Western Sahara, 26 Saharawi civil society organisations ask the company to cease its activities. “We, the signatories of this statement are against the presence of Total in Western Sahara. We urge the company stop all research and leave immediately”, they write in a statement issued yesterday.
Published 08 February 2013
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Unemployed Saharawis call for an end to discrimination in fisheries industry.

Published 04 February 2013
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The fourth round of EU-Morocco negotiations to reach a new fish agreement couldn't reach a consensus. New talks are to take place in Rabat, on 11-12 February.
Published 04 February 2013
The French farmers’ association Confédération Paysanne has filed a lawsuit against Idyl, a company that imports fruits and vegetables produced in occupied Western Sahara.
Published 04 February 2013
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Western Sahara Resource Watch has received pictures of pilot whales and dolphins killed in the waters of occupied Western Sahara.
Published 29 January 2013
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The Moroccan government and the European Commission are expected to commence negotiations for the highly problematic Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA) on 25 February 2013.
Published 29 January 2013

This is the press release that was sent out by Siemens on 30 January 2012.

Published 28 January 2013
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Four major Swedish food chains have today declared that they no longer wish to import or sell products from occupied Western Sahara, falsely labelled as Moroccan.
Published 22 January 2013

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.

Published 21 January 2013
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“International agreements which do not exclude ‘the Moroccan Sahara’ from their application, prove that the area is Moroccan”, Moroccan Minister of Communication Mustapha El Khalfi said in an interview.
Published 21 January 2013
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No agreement was reached during the third round of talks between the EU and Morocco, yesterday in Rabat. The parties have agreed to meet again at the end of the month.
Published 17 January 2013
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Winter roads in Denmark will be de-iced with salt from the mine in occupied Western Sahara. Export from El Aaiun is taking place today.
Published 16 January 2013
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The planned drilling of a well on the Zag block in - most probably - occupied Western Sahara has now been set to first half of 2014.

Published 13 January 2013

WSRW has received the statement below (in English and Arabic) form Saharawi fishermen in Dakhla, regarding their protest against discriminatory employment practices and destructive marine management, on Friday 11 January 2013.

Published 12 January 2013
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This morning, Saharawi fishermen gathered in front of the Delegation of Fisheries in Dakhla, to protest against discriminating employment practices and destructive marine management.

Published 11 January 2013
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The US company FMC has stated that they have ended all Western Sahara imports, and that this also applies to its subsidiaries.

Published 11 January 2013
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Several news media have in the last weeks mentioned Chevron’s interest in acquiring Kosmos Energy. Kosmos holds an extensive agreement with the Moroccan government for oil exploration in Boujdour, occupied Western Sahara. WSRW has today asked Chevron to tackle this objectionable business upon a possible take-over.
Published 10 January 2013
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A concept note on a new model specifically geared towards social and economical development of the ‘southern provinces’ was presented at the Royal Palace in Rabat last week. The mentioned territory is the occupied Western Sahara.
Published 10 January 2013
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Shipping company Seatrade has again sent a vessel to transport frozen fish out of occupied Western Sahara.

Published 06 January 2013
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A new industry is emerging in occupied Western Sahara: mining and exports of salt.

Published 03 January 2013

After a short Christmas break, the controversial French-Chinese oil exploration offshore occupied Western Sahara has resumed.

Published 02 January 2013
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The European Commission and the Moroccan government will continue their talks on a new fisheries agreement on 15 and 16 January in Rabat. Meanwhile the Spanish government insists on sealing the deal as soon as possible.
Published 02 January 2013
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Two vessels are about to arrive New Zealand with phosphates from occupied Western Sahara.

Published 27 December 2012
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2 weeks after Russia and Morocco signed a new fisheries agreement, the Russian fishing fleet has entered the waters offshore occupied Western Sahara.
Published 26 December 2012
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"Does the Commission not think the EU should work within the framework of international peace, and should support the UN’s efforts to negotiate a solution to the conflict? Has the Commission consulted the Saharawi people and have they consented to fisheries in Western Saharan waters?", asked a member of European Parliament today to the European Commission.
Published 18 December 2012

The Swedish organisation Emmaus Stockholm has decided to support the work of WSRW for 2013.

Published 18 December 2012
The French oil company Total has asked for a one year renewal of their controversial licence in occupied Western Sahara. WSRW calls on investors to divest from the company.
Published 14 December 2012
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Seven days after Total’s licence expired, no updates have been released in Moroccan media or by Total, whether the company will continue its highly dubious operations. A number of French organisations has expressed their concern over Total’s engagement in the occupied territory of Western Sahara.
Published 13 December 2012
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The Spanish farmer organisation COAG issues a condemning statement on the EU-Morocco trade agreement that entered into force in October.
Published 12 December 2012
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The EU is planning to enter an unethical fisheries agreement with Morocco in 2013. EU intends to fish in the waters offshore occupied Western Sahara, in violation of international law. Protest by signing this petition!
Published 10 December 2012
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Russia signed 10 December 2012 a memorandum for a new fisheries agreement with Morocco, allowing 10 Russian industrial trawlers to fish in the waters of occupied Western Sahara.
Published 10 December 2012
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Norwegian national newspaper Aftenposten today wrote that Norway's government - owning two percent of Total - could possibly blacklist the company from its pension fund due to its operations in Western Sahara. Norway owns 2,5 billion USD of shares in the company.
Published 08 December 2012
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Total's reconnaissance contract offshore Western Sahara expired 6 December 2012.
Published 07 December 2012
Western Sahara Resource Watch today asked Total to not renew its licence in occupied Western Sahara. See letter.
Published 07 December 2012
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A subsidiary of China's national oil company seems these days to do seismographic studies on Total's block in occupied Western Sahara. WSRW today protested against the operations.

Published 06 December 2012
The government of the Western Sahara Republic today sent a letter to the CEO of the Total SA, asking the company to stay away from Western Sahara. Total's licence in Western Sahara could be ending today - will they renew?
Published 06 December 2012
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This summer, a UK seismic survey vessel carried out studies offshore Western Sahara, accompanied by the protest of the government of the Western Sahara republic. The recent findings of Total’s new block suggest it was in fact the French company that had commissioned the studies.
Published 05 December 2012
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The two Swedish fishermen accused of illegal fishing outside the coast of Western Sahara were found not guilty by the district court in Gothenburg, Sweden, on 28 November. The prosecutor will appeal the decision.
Published 04 December 2012
From what WSRW understands, Total’s new licence in Western Sahara was signed exactly one year ago. This opens for a renewal already this week, first week of December 2012. WSRW urges Total’s investors to engage immediately.
Published 03 December 2012
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It caused a stir in the Security Council when French oil giant Total signed an oil agreement in occupied Western Sahara in 2001. Three years later they pulled out. But now they are back.
Published 29 November 2012
Same day as the EU will receive the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, the union carries out a new round negotiations over illegal fisheries in Western Sahara. The Security Council will be briefed on the Western Sahara issue today, two days after receiving a letter where Polisario expresses its worry over the EU fishy involvement in the conflict.
Published 28 November 2012
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The controversial 'Desertec' solar energy project, which was planned to cross the occupied territory of Western Sahara, might not be carried out due to lack of funds.

Published 19 November 2012
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On 1st of October 2012, the new EU-Moroccan trade agreement entered into force.
Published 15 November 2012
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24 and 26 October, the trial against two Swedish fishermen took place in a court of Gothenburg. The two are accused of illegal fisheries in Western Sahara.

Published 14 November 2012
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4 Norwegian youth politicians are currently, 6 November 2012, expelled from occupied Western Sahara. The group travelled to the territory to meet with Saharawi human rights activists – and to learn how the Saharawis view the EU’s plans this week to negotiate a new deal for illegal fisheries offshore the occupied territory.
Published 06 November 2012

Without first having obtained consent from the Saharawi people in Western Sahara, the EU will next week try to conclude the talks on EU-Morocco fish deal offshore the occupied territory, under same terms as the one that was rejected by the European Parliament in 2011.

Published 29 October 2012
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Western Sahara Resource Watch has received photos showing poached gazelles of different species, allegedly from Western Sahara in 2010. Do you know anything about the issue, please contact WSRW.
Published 26 October 2012

A video posted on Youtube this week shows a private Swedish company fishing in occupied Western Sahara.
 

Published 24 October 2012
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The timing could hardly be worse. A new round of EU negotiations with Morocco regarding fisheries offshore occupied Western Sahara starts in three weeks, exactly as the UN peace mediator will visit Western Sahara to kick new life into the peace talks.
Published 22 October 2012
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The trial against 2 Swedish fishermen who allegedly took part in illegal fisheries in Western Sahara is scheduled to open on 24 October.
Published 15 October 2012
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"As a European I feel embarrassed", stated the former UN legal chief regarding the EU's fisheries activities in the waters of occupied Western Sahara, taking place in violation of international law. New trade agreements between Morocco and the EU - which Morocco is applying in Western Sahara - are entering info force in October 2012. WSRW questions the award of the Nobel peace prize to Morocco's important ally.

Published 12 October 2012

This letter is meant as a suggestion as to how to first contact a supermarket if you see a product from "Morocco"

Published 06 October 2012
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The Australian company Wesfarmers stated in its annual report that it for the coming production year, it will avoid phosphates from Western Sahara. It's fertiliser subsidiary company, CSBP has been a main importer of the controversial resource from the occupied territory.

Published 06 October 2012
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In protest of unemployment and the plunder of their natural resources, 7 Saharawi youth occupied the UN offices of Smara, Western Sahara, this week. The protest took place on the same place where Morocco is currently looking for gas.

Published 05 October 2012
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Sign petition for justice for Saharawi who denounces the plunder of Western Sahara. Sidahmed Lemjiyed has been in jail for 2 years without a trial.
Published 05 October 2012
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The Spanish canning company Jealsa listened to calls from pro-Saharawi groups and recently moved its production from occupied Western Sahara to Spain.
Published 05 October 2012
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The extraction and export of phosphoric rock from the Bou Craa mines at El Aaiun, Western Sahara, is increasing day by day.

Western Sahara Resource Watch (WSRW) continues to monitor phosphate rock exports from occupied Western Sahara. This update report provides details of exports and vessels involved in the trade over the period from 1 June until 31 August 2012 (the Observation Period).

Published 09 September 2012