“We hope to see more investors join us in urging companies linked to the territory to act responsibly and helping Western Sahara get the attention it needs”, said Finish investor Ilmarinen.

Due to Morocco’s tardiness in ratifying the EU-Morocco agricultural agreement, the accord is now expected to enter into force early October. Not coincidentally coinciding with the start of Morocco’s export-season to the EU.

While the EU is in the process of negotiating a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement with Morocco, 31 Saharawi NGOs recommend the EU to respect international law by excluding their occupied homeland. The organisations represent the vast majority of Saharawi civil society groups in the occupied territories of Western Sahara and in the refugee camps in south-west Algeria.

The UN’s Clean Development Mechanism has been considering supporting the work of the Moroccan King in occupied Western Sahara, in partnership with German company Siemens. WSRW asks the UN to reconsider.

WRSW has asked German multinational Siemens to withdraw from supplying wind turbines and related technical assistance for the construction of the Foum el Oued windfarm project in occupied Western Sahara. Siemens' partner in the project is NAREVA holding, a Moroccan company owned personally by King Mohammed VI.

Who benefits from the booming agricultural industry in occupied Western Sahara? Surely not the Saharawis.

The WSRW report ‘Label and Liability’ documents how produce from the controversial agro-industry in the occupied territory, ends up in the baskets of unaware EU customers.

When an unofficial delegation from the European Parliament visited Dakhla city in occupied Western Sahara, the Moroccan government pulled the foreign flagged European fleet out of the harbour. After hiding 8 km offshore Dakhla for a day, the vessels returned.

WSRW has asked the European Commission what is being done to prevent that Western Sahara produce is being falsely labelled as 'Moroccan' as they reach the EU market.

While Canary imports of stolen Saharawi sand continue with impunity, a group of Spanish and Saharawi activists – including a member of WSRW - is still facing penal sanction, precisely for denouncing the illegal trade.

As the European Commission excerted pressure on the European Parliament to approve a controversial EU trade agreement with Morocco earlier this year, they claimed the agri-industry in Western Sahara was practically inexistant. The Commission has now stated it is twice the size as they said in February.

While the UN Human Rights Council is gearing up to review Morocco’s human rights slate, WSRW urges the international community to give due attention to the rights of the Saharawi people.

Update: WSRW is pleased to note that several countries did raise the issue of Western Sahara during Morocco's UPR-session. Transcripts of those statements are available here.
 

A Resolution passed in the EU Parliament today backs the EU's Trade for Change policy vis-à-vis its southern neighbours, but turns a blind eye to the singular obstacle to peace and development in the region: Morocco's continued brutal occupation of Western Sahara.