News

Is an oil war about to erupt in the middle of the Atlantic, with the Canary Islands embroiled right in the middle of the conflict? Tenerife News, 16 April 2009.

Published 19 April 2009
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The company Prospectiuni from Romania are specialists on geological surveys.

Published 17 April 2009

In January, the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic claimed their Exclusive Economic Zone offshore Western Sahara. Here is the SADR legislation.

Published 17 April 2009
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New cargo of stolen goods has arrived Australia. Wesfarmers seem to be responsible, again.
Published 17 April 2009
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Two Swedish fishermen have been charged with illegal fishing off Western Sahara. Their allegedly illegal catches have been worth 1,9 million euros.
Published 16 April 2009
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Now they plan building a first phosphate processing plant inside occupied Western Sahara.
Published 16 April 2009
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Hundreds of foreign activists attend special conference on Western Saharan natural resources in the refugee camps in Algeria. UPES, 10 April 2009.

Download presentation here by Polisario representative Lih Beiruk.
Published 11 April 2009
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A Thai owned, Danish operated vessel has recently arrived Colombia with phosphates from occupied Western Sahara.

Published 10 April 2009
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The Swedish tour operator Ving has removed information from their homepages claiming that the occupation of Western Sahara in 1975 took place in a peaceful manner.

Published 02 April 2009
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A group of three Norwegian shipping companies have stated that they desist from future assignments in Western Sahara.
Published 24 March 2009

Statement from Western Sahara Resource Watch, 24 March 2009.

Published 24 March 2009
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The Norwegian Council for Africa wrote in February about the shipping company Atlantic RTI which transported fish from occupied Western Sahara. The company now says they will prevent their vessels from being used for such purposes in the future.

Published 21 March 2009

France Libertés: Fondation Danielle Mitterrand - an NGO with special consultative status in the Human Rights Council - has submitted a written statement to the council denouncing the plundering of Western Sahara.

Published 20 March 2009

Faroe Islands national TV ran the Sahrawi demonstration against oil industry in Western Sahara as main story on its evening news 17 March 2009.

Published 20 March 2009
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The Irish oil company Island Oil and Gas, which illegally explores for oil in occupied Western Sahara, has produced new maps.
Published 20 March 2009
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Sahrawi refugees on the Canary Islands yesterday protested against the Norwegian oil search in occupied Western Sahara. They demanded that the project be stopped.

Published 18 March 2009
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For a few days more you will still find tomatoes from occupied Western Sahara on the vegetable counters of the Norwegian grocery store Coop. On Wednesday they stopped the controversial import. Norwatch, 11 March 2009.

Published 18 March 2009
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The Moroccan Navy was asked to support Fugro-Geoteam’s oil assignment outside occupied Western Sahara. This is shown by an internal Moroccan government document that Norwatch has obtained. Norwatch, 17 March 2009.
Published 18 March 2009

Morocco has hired key lobbyists in the US to promote its illegal phosphate sales. While selling legitimate phosphate from Morocco, their government owned phosphate company OCP also exports phosphate from occupied Western Sahara to the US. Such trade is in violation of international law.

Published 16 March 2009
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Norwegian Council for Africa: When The Norwegian Council for Africa visited occupied Western Sahara between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, we photographed a freighter that later turned out to be Norwegian. The shipping company Atlantic RTI confirmed the fish transport and said they dislike that their ship has been utilised in the occupied area.

Published 03 March 2009

BASF is member of UN\'s corporate social responsibility initiative Global Compact. But to Inner City Press, the company still refuses to disclose their "expert opinion" as to why they believe their imports of phosphates from occupied Western Sahara is legal. See video from the UN.

Published 02 March 2009
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Former chairman of the Nobel Committee, and yesterday’s laureate of Student Peace Prize 2009 criticise the Norwegian-Dutch involvement in oil search in occupied Western Sahara.

Published 28 February 2009
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The Nordic Committee of Co-operating Social Democratic Youth Organisations (FNSU), consisting of organisations from all the Nordic and Baltic countries, demands renegotiation of EU-Morocco fisheries agreement to exclude occupied Western Sahara.

Published 25 February 2009
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The Irish oil company Island Oil and Gas - and their partners in San Leon - today announced their intention to upgrade their licence in occupied Western Sahara from a frontier licence to an exploration licence.

Published 25 February 2009
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"WSRW believes it is time for the Saharawi people to settle the question of how they wish to be governed through the referendum which the UN calls for. Then it will be clear to companies with whom to deal", writes WSRW in letters to the editor in the petroleum journals Upstream and Petroleum Africa.

Published 23 February 2009
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The Moroccan state electricity company ONE last year launched a tender to find a company to take on the construction of power plants in occupied Western Sahara. WSRW has got the lists of the 21 companies which are prequalified. The companies, from a dozen countries worldwide, are these days being contacted by WSRW, with an appeal to withdraw from the tender.
Published 15 February 2009
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Fertilizer producer Yara receives critisicm in Norway for its 2008 phosphate purchase from occupied Western Sahara. The company answers they hope Western Sahara "will be liberated one day, and then the inhabitants will benefit if we can receive their phosphate quickly".

Published 15 February 2009
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The students of Red Cross Nordic United World College (RCNUWC) addressed a letter to the Norwegian company, Fugro Geoteam, to withdraw their vessel “Geo Caribbean” from the occupied waters in Western Sahara. The letter was handed over by the Sahrawi student Basiri Mulay El-hasan.
Published 11 February 2009
In August Yara’s plant on Herøya imported phosphate from occupied West Sahara, contrary to the advice of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Yara may have paid 4,3 million euros to a Moroccan state company for phosphate stolen from its occupied neighbour.
Published 09 February 2009
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The New Zealand fertilizer producer confirms that they have a long term delivery contract with Moroccan state phosphate company OCP. The highly unethical agreement was signed in 1999.
Published 09 February 2009

Download Afroil, 20 January 2009, covering the oil industry in Western Sahara.

Published 09 February 2009

The Ministry of Trade and Industry knew about the transaction but did not try to stop the import of phosphate from Western Sahara. Norway may have broken international law.

Published 09 February 2009
News coverage in Faroese newspaper Dimmalætting, 12th and 13th of January 2009.
Published 09 February 2009

The vessel Ennerdale with link to El Aaiún, 2008.

Published 09 February 2009
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The government of the Faroe Islands supports the Western Sahara people\'s right to self-determination over its natural resources.

Published 07 February 2009
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Irishmen Bryan Benitz and and Paul Griffiths are leading a company that is planning to profit from an occupation.

Published 02 February 2009
Arrived 12th of January 2009 with phosphates from occupied Western Sahara.
Published 29 January 2009
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Morocco has apparently launched a big onshore exploration programme in Western Sahara.

Published 29 January 2009
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Sahrawi students at the University of Agadir on 22 January 2009 protested Fugro-Geoteam\'s engagement for Moroccan authorities in occupied Western Sahara.
Published 29 January 2009
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Uranium, diamonds, gold, niobium. ONHYM's mining programme in southern parts of occupied Western Sahara is speeding up. See where their projects are here. 

Published 28 January 2009

LONDON, Jan 22 (Reuters) - The Western Sahara independence movement Polisario said on Thursday the European Union must stop boats fishing off the disputed territory's coast and announced a legal framework to back up its claim to the area's resources.

Published 28 January 2009

WESTERN Sahara's Petroleum Authority has accused Kosmos Energy of violating international law by awarding Fugro-Geoteam a contract for a major seismic survey in Morocco's Southern Provinces, writes Barry Morgan. Upstream, 23 January 2009.

Published 27 January 2009
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Rumours of Libyan state oil company Tamoil having entered occupied Western Sahara were in 2007 emphanitcally denied by the company. Now, the rumours resurface in Spanish media.
Published 27 January 2009
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President Abdelaziz calls on EU to cease illegal fishing in Western Sahara’s waters. Press release from SADR, 22 Jan 2009.
Published 22 January 2009
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Sahrawi Arabic Democratic Republic sent 15 January 2009 a letter to Kosmos Energy demanding the company to terminates its operations in occupied Western Sahara. On 13 January 2009 a similar letter was sent to Dutch-Norwegian seismic survey company Fugro-Geoteam, which started its exploration for Kosmos in January.
Published 16 January 2009
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Western Sahara Resource Watch demands that Fugro-Geoteam terminate their profoundly unethical activities, and immediately withdraw their vessel "Geo Caribbean" from the Western Saharan waters. Fugro works in occupied Western Sahara on behalf of Moroccan authorities. Read open letter to Fugro, 12 January 2009.

Published 13 January 2009

A huge Norwegian research vessel has in secret travelled to the coast of occupied Western Sahara. This weekend the Norwegian company Fugro-Geoteam started a controversial operation to carry out oil exploration, in defiance of the advice of the UN and the Norwegian government. Norwatch, 12 January 2009.

Published 12 January 2009
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From this port, in El Aaiun, Western Sahara, the international phosphate plundering is taken place.

Published 07 January 2009

Gas tanker 'Lingegas' has visited occupied Western Sahara.

Published 07 January 2009
In 2006, the EU fisheries commissioner used the 2002 UN legal opinion on natural resources in Western Sahara to legitimise an illegal fisheries agreement. The author of the legal opinion says Borg must have been "ill advised". See Borg's bizarre reading of the UN text.
Published 06 January 2009
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According to the Moroccan newspaper TelQuel, the King of Morocco has ownership in the tomato industry in occupied Western Sahara.
Published 01 January 2009
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The New Zealand company Ballance Agri-Nutrients has again bought phosphate rock from a Moroccan state phosphate company in occupied Western Sahara. The shipment arrived 3 December 2008, on the Israeli managed vessel 'White Diamond'.

Published 28 December 2008
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Madeira has constructed a second artificial beach. Just as before, the sand is originating from occupied Western Sahara.

Published 26 December 2008
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24th of December 2008, the oil reconnaissance contract held by the Irish oil company Island Oil & Gas for oil exploration in occupied Western Sahara expired. Today WSRW sent the company a letter demanding them to not renew their engagement.
Published 24 December 2008
Sent 13 December 2006, the day after Island Oil & Gas announced its contract with Moroccan authorities on occupied land in Western Sahara.
Published 23 December 2008
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The Swedish Trade Council has withdrawn a map from its homepages, showing Western Sahara as part of Morocco. The step was taken after correction from the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Published 23 December 2008
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Published 21 December 2008
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Incitec Pivot is receiving one more controversial phosphate shipment from occupied Western Sahara.

Published 21 December 2008
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The Australian fertiliser company Incitec Pivot keeps maintaining its unethical practice of supporting the Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara. The imports were questioned during the company\'s Annual General Meeting on December 19th 2008.

Read also: New vessel heading for IPL
Published 21 December 2008

Vessel Yasa Gulten to arrive New Zealand in Christmas week.

Published 19 December 2008
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One giant vessel has just offloaded its cargo in the United States, and is now passing this river bend along the Mississippi.
Published 19 December 2008
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The Swedish Green Party signs the international appeal from Western Sahara Resource Watch, WSRW, which demands that Western Sahara should be explicitly excluded if the EU and Morocco agrees on deepened cooperation.

Published 19 December 2008
Two documents of the Pan-African Parliament, advisory organ of the African Union.
Published 14 December 2008
Read here the presentation of Former Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and the Legal Counsel of the United Nations, at conference in South Africa.
Published 12 December 2008
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Communiqué on the Conference on Multilateralism and International Law with Western Sahara as case study Hosted by the South African Department of Foreign Affairs and the University of Pretoria, 4 and 5 December 2008.

See more details about the conference itself here.

Published 07 December 2008
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The former UN Legal Counsel, Ambassador Hans Corell, calls the EU-Morocco Fisheries Partnership Agreement (FPA) illegal. Western Sahara Resource Watch demands immediate halt of European plundering of occupied Western Sahara. PRESS RELEASE from WSRW.

Published 07 December 2008
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The vessel Sea Lavender is here loading phosphates in occupied Western Sahara, destined for Mexican imports.

Published 07 December 2008
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No less than 426 organisations signed a petition letter, demanding from the EU Commission that occupied Western Sahara be kept clearly outside of the so- called Advanced Status cooperation that Morocco currently is being granted. The petition was sent to the EU Commission this morning. PRESS RELEASE.

Published 05 December 2008
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South Africa to host the Conference on Multilateralism and International Law with Western Sahara as a Case Study, 4th to 5th of December 2008. One of the sessions will be on the role of natural resources in Western Sahara.
Published 01 December 2008
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WSRW section Louisiana in October sent a letter to the US-Canadian fertiliser producer, PCS, demanding that they terminate its imports from Western Sahara. Two months later, WSRW still awaits a reply.
Published 30 November 2008
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Two so-called reefers, or refrigerated ships, have recently visited El Aaiun harbour in occupied Western Sahara, for transport of frozen fish to Russia and China.

Published 30 November 2008
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On December 5th 2008, a petition letter signed by 426 organisations was sent to the EU commission demanding that occupied Western Sahara be kept outside of the Morocco-EU socalled Advanced Status cooperation. Do you wish your organisation had signed, but did not make the deadline?

Published 30 November 2008
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Two vessels are arriving New Zealand with phosphates from occupied Western Sahara first week of December.

Update: ....and here is one for Christmas.

Published 30 November 2008

The Swiss flagged and managed vessel Celerina in November carried out a highly unethical phosphates transport from occupied Western Sahara to Louisiana, USA.

Published 30 November 2008
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Shortly before the Government of New Zealand changed, the former Minister of Trade, Hon Phil Goff, wrote two letters regarding the natural resource exploitation. Read them here.

Published 30 November 2008

New Zealand firm Ballance Agri-Nutrients is importing phosphates from Western Sahara, contributing in the financing and legitimation of the illegal occupation from the territory. Here is correspondence between the NZ firm and the Norwegian Support Committee for Western Sahara.

Published 27 November 2008
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The bulk vessel Furness Karumba arrived this port in Perth, Australia, in August.

Published 27 November 2008
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In an extraordinary show of arrogance and disdain for representatives of civil society organizations, the Washington based law firm Covington & Burling flatly refuses to engage with the global solidarity network Western Sahara Resource Watch (WSRW) and this year's Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Human Rights Award laureate, Mrs. Aminatou Haidar. The US law firm is, because of a legal analysis it provided, the source the world phosphate industry refers to when they claim the phosphate trade from Western Sahara to be legal.

Published 24 November 2008
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The US fertilizer producer will make a decision on continued imports from the occupied territories in 2009.
Published 20 November 2008
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Several Swedish parliamentarians from one of the parties in the Swedish government, have motioned that the Swedish Government should work to prevent the EU from signing any new agreements or agreements of advanced status with Morocco "as long as the country occupies Western Sahara".

Published 19 November 2008
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BASF, the German chemical company who imported Western Saharan phosphates early October, wrote that they "are fully confident that the operations of OCP at Boucraa and the purchase of the replacement delivery were consistent with international law". But after request from WSRW, they refuse to publish their “expert opinion” upon which their conclusion is based. To clarify further aspects of the unpublished report, they refer to a US law firm.

Published 19 November 2008
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A global protest campaign, contesting occupied Western Sahara\'s inclusion in a Morocco-European Union (EU) free trade deal is gaining momentum. Today, South Africa\'s dominant labour union COSATU told the EU it was breaking international law by its planned inclusion of the territory. Afrol News, 17 November 2008.
Published 18 November 2008
Shareholders question Wesfarmers over divestment by ethical fund-holders. Phosphate importations from Western Sahara to blame. Press release, 14 November 2008
Published 14 November 2008
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The fertilizer company Yara remains under investigation by Norwegian police after having purchased a shipload of phosphates from occupied Western Sahara.

Published 12 November 2008
Zakhar Sorokin, November 2008.
Published 10 November 2008

Read the report on the international trade union delegation to occupied Western Sahara from 17th to 22nd of February 2008.

Published 09 November 2008
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The Executive Board of The Liberal Party of Norway demands that Western Sahara be excluded from EU\'s cooperation with Morocco.
Published 09 November 2008
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Western Sahara Resource Watch has received more photos documenting the vessel that arrived Tasmania, Australia, end of October, carrying phosphates from occupied Western Sahara.

Published 05 November 2008
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And it includes occupied Western Sahara as part of its own territory.
Published 05 November 2008

The talks of granting a so-called Advanced Status to Morocco are getting ever more concrete. But to this day, the EU and Morocco have still avoided stating whether or not occupied Western Sahara should be involved in the cooperation. “There is an elephant walking around in the negotiations room, which no one wants to see or mention”, said WSRW in press release today. Read press release and letter to the EU here.

Published 04 November 2008

J. Lauritzen, the Danish shipping conglomerate, has been accused of plundering natural resources from the occupied Western Sahara, a report said.

Published 02 November 2008
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The Belgian branch of German chemical company BASF is not planning further imports from occupied Western Sahara.
Published 31 October 2008

Florida fertilizer company Mosaic Co. has received another vessel of phosphates from occupied Western Sahara, in violation of international law. Western Sahara Resource Watch section Florida has urged the company to stop its imports. Read letter here.

Published 25 October 2008

German former MEP, and former leader of the Western Sahara solidarity network at the European Parliament, Margot Keßler, has this week sent a letter to the Belgian branch of the German chemical company BASF. In the letter, Mrs. Keßler asks for a clarification on a series of questions regarding BASF's imports of phosphates from occupied Western Sahara.

Published 25 October 2008
Trade unions from 16 countries attended the 4th congress of the Sahrawi trade union UGTSARIO in the refugee camps in Algeria, 19th to 21st of October 2008. Read the statement from the unions here, supporting the Sahrawi peoples\' right to self-determination over their country and natural resources.
Published 25 October 2008
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She arrived Tasmania this week. Photo is from 23rd of October 2008.

Published 25 October 2008

Two bulk vessels filled with phosphates from occupied Western Sahara are within the next weeks arriving New Zealand.

Published 25 October 2008
16.000 tonnes were received in October.
Published 25 October 2008
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The issue of the plundering of Western Sahara was a recurring topic, as the UN\'s committee for decolonisation issues this week has gathered to debate the decolonisation process in Western Sahara. Companies from various countries were critizised for illegal phosphate exports, including for shipments to Ghent (Belgium), Varna (Bulgaria) and Tampa (USA) this week. Read the intervention from the petitioner of the Norwegian Support Committee for Western Sahara here.
Published 09 October 2008

These last days, a vessel has been unloading phosphates from the occupied Western Sahara at the harbour of Ghent (Belgium). The importer of these phosphates is believed to be chemical giant BASF.

Published 09 October 2008