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.

"People live in a horrible situation because of the Australian companies that come to Western Sahara to steal our natural resources", Saharawi Malak Amidane stated in Australian national TV.

A group of unemployed Saharawi fishermen is said to have chained themselves to a foreign owned trawler in the harbour of Dakhla, protesting the plunder of their country.

The EU Member States have decided to back the European Commission’s suggestion to negotiate a ‘Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement’ with Morocco. The development could have further consequences for trade with Western Sahara, warns WSRW.

Last Friday, Morocco announced its willingness to engage in a new fisheries agreement with the European Union. "The talks must respect international law, and should be immediately halted until the Saharawi have given its consent", stated WSRW.

Responsible Investor - Siemens, the German industrial giant, is facing scrutiny from environmental, social and governance (ESG) research house GES Investment Services over a wind farm project in the disputed Western Sahara.

The Dutch trading company Nidera will take the issue of Western Sahara “into consideration” if confronted with another need to import to the Latin American country.

The US oil company Anadarko (ex-Kerr-McGee) said they have no role in the development of the Kosmos Energy's block offshore Western Sahara.