News
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
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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

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 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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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 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
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Swedish daily newspaper Göteborgsposten published on 28 July 2012 a large article on the continued fisheries activities carried out in occupied Western Sahara by private Swedish fisheries interests.
Published 30 August 2012
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Morocco cannot claim tariff preferences for agricultural products coming from Western Sahara on the basis of the upcoming EU-Morocco agricultural agreement, says Dutch Minister for Foreign Affairs, Uri Rosenthal.
Published 29 August 2012

Spokespersons of two Swedish political parties urge the Swedish government to ensure that Morocco does not misuse the UN climate mechanism CDM to uphold the occupation of Western Sahara.

Published 13 August 2012
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The vessel 'Alycia' arrived on Tuesday 7 August 2012 at Risdon dock in Hobart, ready to discharge its controversial cargo of phosphate from occupied Western Sahara for the local fertilizer producer Impact Fertilisers.

Published 09 August 2012

The African Union summit in July formally adopted a policy document calling for the halt of mineral plunder on the continent.

Published 27 July 2012

Several Moroccan environmental projects in occupied Western Sahara are being considered by the UN. Published in Norwegian news service Bistandsaktuelt, 17 July 2012.
 

Published 25 July 2012
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Norwegian company DNV, certified by the UN Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) to evaluate projects seeking CDM-funding, has issued a negative opinion on the Moroccan King’s envisioned windfarm project in occupied Western Sahara – precisely for taking place in a politically controversial area.

Published 23 July 2012
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The UN considers the development of the natural resources in Western Sahara to be in violation of international law unless its people consent to and benefiting from it. Yet, Morocco is planning more applications to the UN to fund for its mineral resources plunder. “The UN’s Clean Development Mechanism must not support Morocco in Western Sahara”, stated WSRW.

Published 16 July 2012

The UN's Clean Development Mechanism is looking into endorsing a windfarm project, owned by the Moroccan king, in occupied Western Sahara. The Saharawi refugees don't want to see that happening.
 

Published 09 July 2012
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WSRW has in recent weeks covered how the UN’s Clean Development Mechanism considers supporting wind energy in occupied Western Sahara. But it seems now it is it not the only project in process of being potentially funded by the same UN agency.
Published 09 July 2012
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The WSRW report on EU-Morocco relations was largely discussed in the large political event of Almedalen, Sweden.

Published 08 July 2012
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The governments of Morocco and Germany signed on 3 July 2012 a declaration of intent aspiring to unite Morocco’s solar and wind potential and Germany’s industrial experience in that field. The German government risks backing projects in occupied Western Sahara, warns WSRW.
Published 04 July 2012
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On 20 June, three officially registered Saharawi fishermen organisations gathered in front of the Delegation of Maritime Fisheries in El Aaiun, to denounce the exclusion and marginalisation they face in the job market.
Published 29 June 2012
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“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.

Published 29 June 2012

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.

Published 27 June 2012
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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.

Published 26 June 2012
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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.

Published 25 June 2012
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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.

Published 24 June 2012
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A cable from the US Embassy in 2005 problematised an issue which remained unaddressed by the EU's recent opening up of agri-trade with Morocco. "The longevity of Dakhla's fresh water aquifer is unknown", stated the note.
Published 22 June 2012
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Who benefits from the booming agricultural industry in occupied Western Sahara? Surely not the Saharawis.

Published 19 June 2012
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The CEO of the Dutch seismic company that used to work in occupied Western Sahara has now explained their 2009 pullout.
Published 19 June 2012
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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.

Published 18 June 2012

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.

Published 14 June 2012
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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.

Published 06 June 2012
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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.

Published 05 June 2012

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.

Published 04 June 2012
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Two Latvian fishing trawlers, belonging to the Baltreids company, appear to be active in the waters adjacent to occupied Western Sahara.
Published 30 May 2012
Western Sahara Resource Watch has noted with satisfaction that 11 out of the 47 countries that participated in the working group session of Morocco's second universal periodic review, took the opportunity to ask questions about or put forward recommendations on Western Sahara. A massive step forward from 2008, when not one country raised the issue of Africa's last colony. Find out who said what, below.
Published 23 May 2012
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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.
 

Published 22 May 2012

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.

Published 10 May 2012
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"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.

Published 09 May 2012
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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.

Published 02 May 2012
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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.

Published 26 April 2012
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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.

Published 25 April 2012
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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.

Published 18 April 2012
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Nick Clegg, UK Deputy Prime Minister, faces embarrassment after it was disclosed that his wife represents a firm that has been accused of trampling on the human rights of ‘Africa’s last colony’. A ‘substantial’ part of lawyer Miriam Clegg’s work, for which she is paid up to £500,000 a year, is understood to come from Moroccan mining giant OCP. The company is at the centre of international controversy over the treatment of the Sahrawi nomadic tribesmen of the Sahara.
Published 15 April 2012
No export credit will be given to Danish companies for projects in Western Sahara, according to the Danish Minister for Trade and Investment.
Published 08 April 2012
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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.

Published 08 April 2012
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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.

Published 08 April 2012
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Moroccan workers of the state-owned phosphate company, Office Chérifien des Phosphates (OCP), benefit from housing programmes. Their Saharawi colleagues say they don’t.
Published 05 April 2012
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Next month, Morocco’s human rights track record will be reviewed by the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. Western Sahara Resource Watch asks the international community to raise the Saharawi people's rights.
Published 02 April 2012
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The Moroccan state-owned oil company ONHYM continues to promote the uranium potential of occupied Western Sahara. WSRW believes that the Romanian geophysical research company Prospectiuni is involved in the ground work.

Published 21 March 2012
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In June 2011, WSRW - together with other organisations - issued a first request to the European Commission, soliciting the independent evaluation report of the EU-Morocco Fisheries Partnership Agreement become part of the public domain. The Commission has now agreed to release the report. Read it here.
Published 05 March 2012

Siemens’s African division in Denmark has signed a contract for delivery of wind turbines to Morocco-occupied Western Sahara. The indigenous population has not been consulted, as prescribed by the UN. Danwatch, 4 March 2012.

Published 05 March 2012
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The Irish company San Leon Energy has published a map on its webpages showing how they carried out oil search on occupied land.
Published 22 February 2012
Today, the European Parliament backed a revision of the Moroccan Free Trade Agreement, allowing for further liberalisation of Moroccan agricultural and fisheries products. The agreement fails to specify that it does not apply to Western Sahara.
Published 16 February 2012
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Siemens Energy has initiated a dangerous path for its internationalization strategy. Beginning of February, the company secured its first wind turbine orders on land occupied by Morocco.

Read also: Danwatch: Siemens’s Danish Division Signs Contract to Occupied Land

Published 15 February 2012
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The new WSRW report ‘Conflict Tomatoes’, launched today, reveals massive growth in the Moroccan agriculture industry in occupied Western Sahara and its trade to the EU.

Published 14 February 2012
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French farmer and parliamentarian, José Bové states in an interview with Moroccan newspaper L'économiste that he will work hard to stop the agreement, which he calls "a disaster for the agriculture".
Published 02 February 2012
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The EU agriculture agreement must be stopped, according to Spanish farmers’ association.
Published 30 January 2012
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The world’s biggest trawler and fish factory vessel have been operating in Western Sahara’s waters.

Published 30 January 2012

A new EU trade agreement that is set to boost the personal fortune of King Mohamed VI of Morocco is facing opposition because it promotes the exploitation of disputed territory of the Western Sahara. Source: The Telegraph, 29 Jan 2012.

Published 29 January 2012
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UN special envoy to Western Sahara states how the natural resources are currently the main topic of peace talks between Morocco and Polisario.
Published 29 January 2012
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The Moroccan state electricity company has launched a tender for the construction of 5 wind farms. Two of those farms will be located in occupied Western Sahara.

Published 27 January 2012
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The Irish oil firm stated today that it had completed its seismic services in "Morocco". The release fails to mention that the exploration was in fact done in occupied Western Sahara. The UN states such search to be in violation of international law.
Published 24 January 2012
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The US lobby firm K&L Gates has for a year and a half been lobbying the issue of Western Sahara on behalf of a US-Mexican company that imports phosphates from the occupied territory.

Published 23 January 2012
The leader of the Saharawi committee for protection of natural resources has spent 14 months in jail, as trial against him was postponed on January 13. Demonstrations and police violence erupt in Western Sahara following the decision.
Published 23 January 2012
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On 5 January, the European Commission issued a request to the EU Member States, seeking their support to conduct negotiations with Morocco in order to achieve a new, long-term fisheries protocol. The fishing zones covered by the envisioned accord also include Western Saharan waters.
Published 17 January 2012
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During the days before Christmas, a vessel owned by the Danish shipping company Lauritzen set off from Western Sahara, occupied by Morocco. According to the UN, the Moroccan phosphate exploitation is illegal. By DanWatch, 30 Dec 2011.

Published 30 December 2011
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FMC Corporation states that they have stopped importing phosphates from Western Sahara to Spain and that they should never have been kicked out of the Norwegian government's pension fund for lack of ethics.

Published 23 December 2011
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The Norwegian fertilizer firm Yara states their position remains unchanged, and that they do not purchase phosphates from Western Sahara. Yara's new agreement with Moroccan phosphate firm specifically excludes purchases from Western Sahara, according to the company.
Published 19 December 2011
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The list of vessels active under the now repealed EU-Morocco fisheries agreement has just been released. Download the list here.
Published 16 December 2011
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This week, the EU pulled its fleet out of Western Sahara, a territory largely occupied by Morocco. The Russian industrial trawlers should follow the European example, Western Sahara Resource Watch (WSRW) demanded today. Press release, WSRW, 16 Dec 2011.

See images of the Russian fleet in Western Sahara

Published 16 December 2011
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EU Fisheries Commissioner, Maria Damanaki, previously suggested EU fisheries agreement with Morocco should not apply to Western Sahara. Now, she repeats the message.
Published 14 December 2011
The tomato sector on the Canary Islands received with satisfaction the news that the European Parliament has turned down their fisheries agreement with Morocco and hopes that the agriculture agreement, “will follow the same steps and will be turned down once it is presented before the Plenary”. Europapress, 14 December 2011.
Published 14 December 2011

The EU fisheries in Western Sahara have today been voted down in the European Parliament. Reports made for the European Commission have shown that the EU fisheries in Western Sahara are a complete waste of EU taxpayers’ money, and contribute to destruction of marine life offshore Western Sahara. EU fleet must now return from Western Sahara.

Published 14 December 2011
Email sent from Norwegian Support Commtitee for Western Sahara to Tripoliven.
Published 13 December 2011
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"Be part of the solution, not part of the problem", Saharawi human rights activist Ali Salem Tamek urged the European Parliament, criticizing the illegal EU plunder of the fisheries resources offshore occupied Western Sahara.
Published 08 December 2011
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Covington & Burling, the US lobby law firm that lobbies for the Moroccan phosphate trade from occupied territory of Western Sahara travelled all the way to Oslo to explain to an investor how the Saharawis supposedly benefit from the trade. Still, the firm refuse to talk to Saharawis or civil society about the industry.

Published 08 December 2011
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The US-Mexican firm Innophos has imported phosphate rock from occupied Western Sahara for decades. As a new vessel is this week about to arrive Mexico from occupied territory, WSRW requests again about the trade.
Published 08 December 2011
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Further EU fisheries in occupied Western Sahara "will make the EU and its member states further liable for a violation of international law", stated former principal legal advisor of the Swedish government, in a seminar in the European Parliament on 7 December 2011.
Published 08 December 2011
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The Norwegian government today announced it has sold 256 million Euros of shares in the two US-Canadian firms PCS and FMC due to their imports from Western Sahara.

Published 06 December 2011
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A cross-party seminar, entitled “The EU and Western Sahara: trading fish, ignoring rights?” will be held in the European Parliament, Wednesday 7 December.
Published 01 December 2011
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British oil firm Longreach Oil & Gas yesterday announced that they are currently undertaking seismic studies in occupied Western Sahara. The studies are carried out in violation of international law.

Published 22 November 2011
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Today, the European Parliament's Development and Budget Committee both adopted an opinion calling on Parliament to reject the EU-Morocco fisheries agreement.
Published 07 November 2011
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...At 28 kilometres east of town of Boujdour.
Published 06 November 2011