Western Sahara Resource Watch

Saharawi government awards new oil exploration block

The Saharawi government has today announced that it has awarded a new oil and gas exploration block to UK-based Red Rio Petroleum Ltd. Read the full press release here.

Published 19 March 2014

Kosmos: get out of Western Sahara!

Saharawis have a clear message for the US Oil company Kosmos Energy, that has announced its plans to drill for oil in occupied Western Sahara in October this year.

Published 19 March 2014

Supplier to controversy rig withdraws further service

A company that installed key equipment of the Atwood Achiever told Norwegian broadcaster today it would never had taken on the assignment had they known the vessel would be used in Western Sahara. It has withdrawn from commitments to deliver service to the rig while in the territory.

Published 17 March 2014

9 detained, threats of jail if demonstrating against EU fisheries

A peaceful protest by Saharawi fishermen in the El Aaiun harbour this week was broken up by the Moroccan police. Nine fishermen were taken to the police station for hours of questioning, and threatened with harder punishment if they were ever to protest the EU fisheries again.

Published 14 March 2014

WSRW requests answers from Kosmos

WSRW has asked Kosmos Energy to demonstrate how it has obtained the consent of the Saharawi people for its activities offshore Western Sahara. The US oil firm plans to start drilling for oil in October this year.

Published 14 March 2014

This week: Kosmos opening base in occupied territory

Morocco's hunt for oil in the territory it has occupied keeps moving ahead. According to Upstream Online today, their partner Kosmos Energy is this week opening a base in Western Sahara for its offshore operation.

Published 14 March 2014

People in Boujdour frustrated over Kosmos plans

Check out this image from yesterday. Saharawis in Western Sahara are increasingly frustrated over the US oil company Kosmos Energy's plans to drill in the occupied territory of Western Sahara on behalf of the occupying power Morocco.

Published 13 March 2014

Transparently unethical: Western Saharan melons are not from Morocco

An example of doing the wrong thing the right way: Swiss supermarket chain Migros still imports from occupied Western Sahara, but is at least honest about it to its customers.

Published 11 March 2014

Kosmos and Atwood: obstacles to peace in Western Sahara

The US company Kosmos Energy is going to drill in Western Sahara for the first time since the Moroccan occupation. In six months time, it might be too late to stop the company.

Published 10 March 2014

Canadian company Agrium claims to follow law, silent on howcome

Agrium Inc, the Canadian company that started importing phosphate rock from occupied Western Sahara just a few months ago, claims to have both the law and the principles of corporate responsibility on its side.

Published 06 March 2014

Green problems for French energy company Greensolver?

French energy firm Greensolver has agreed to cooperate on Morocco’s solar and wind projects. WSRW has asked them to clarify whether their work will be confined to Morocco proper, or will also cross the border into occupied Western Sahara.

Published 05 March 2014

EU Commission fails to address Western Saharan conflict minerals

A law proposed by the European Commission on responsible sourcing of minerals has been watered down to apply only to imports of processed and unprocessed tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold. Accordingly, it will not include phosphate rock – occupied Western Sahara's white gold that Morocco is profiteering on.

Published 05 March 2014

WSRW asks Cairn Energy to stay out of Western Sahara

WSRW has asked Cairn Energy to reconsider its involvement in occupied Western Sahara. Through its partnership with American oil firm Kosmos Energy, Cairn will take part in further exploration works in the territory, including exploratory drilling.

Published 21 February 2014

Kosmos announces drilling in October

US oil firm Kosmos Energy plans to start exploration drilling in occupied Western Sahara in October or November this year, writes Upstream Online today.

Published 21 February 2014

Here are the EU states that will benefit from the dirty fisheries

Eleven EU states have received fishing rights offshore occupied Western Sahara as part of the concluded Fisheries Partnership Agreement with Morocco. The owners of the fish, living under acute humanitarian conditions, receive emergency aid from the EU worth only a fraction of what these eleven states will harvest.

Published 11 February 2014

Morocco adopts contentious EU-Morocco fish deal

Yesterday, the Moroccan Parliament unanimously adopted the EU-Morocco fisheries agreement. No wonder. Through the agreement, the EU will pay Morocco to fish in the waters offshore the territory Morocco is illegally occupying: Western Sahara.

Published 11 February 2014

Saharawi group condemns French-American oil hunt

The plans of Kosmos Energy and Total in occupied Western Sahara angers The Saharawi natural resources group, Observatorio Saharaui de Recursos Naturales in a statement today.

Published 07 February 2014

As Europe lenders shy Sahara controversy, Morocco looks to China

Several big European investment banks have indicated that they will not finance renewable energy projects in occupied Western Sahara. As a result, Morocco is forced to look for other, less ethically inspired funders.

Published 06 February 2014

Morocco and India embark upon phosphate and fish cooperation

Morocco and India have signed two cooperation agreements in the fields of fisheries and environment. India is also said to show a big interest in Morocco's phosphate imports.

Published 05 February 2014

Total confirms 1 year renewal of dirty deal in occupied Sahara

The French oil multinational confirms having renewed for 12 months its licence offshore "the Sahara region". The company keeps following the terminology of the occupying power of Morocco - their partner.

Published 03 February 2014