Western Sahara Resource Watch

EU tax money off track?

If the Western Sahara waters are considered high seas, why does the EU spend European taxpayers' money on paying Morocco to fish there? A group of MEPs this week asked a series of questions in the European Parliament.

Published 15 July 2008

The 6 occasions that Impact violated international law

The last 3 years, Western Sahara Resource Watch has documented 6 shipments from occupied Western Sahara to the Australian Island island of Tasmania.

Published 15 July 2008

The tomato boom

Up to 6,000 people are employed in the tomato industry in the region of Dakhla, in occupied Western Sahara. Most of the employees are of Moroccan origin.

Published 14 July 2008

Sahrawi demonstration against Moroccan fisheries cracked down

9 Sahrawis injured after intervention from Moroccan police.

Published 13 July 2008

Morocco getting EU 'membership light': WSRW urges EU to think again

The EU is about to grant a so-called ‘advanced status’ for Morocco . The move will be made now under the French presidency. “No one seems to mind that Morocco is an illegal occupying power violating the most fundamental human rights”, said WSRW international coordinator.

Published 13 July 2008

This beach has been shipped from an occupied country

This fake beach on Madeira is made of sand from occupied Western Sahara. In May/June, the beach was fortified with another 2800 tonnes. Portuguese bloggers wonder why.

Published 12 July 2008

4th shipment to Colombia this year

Colombia has received 4 vessels with phosphates from occupied Western Sahara this year. The last one end of June 2008. This time, the vessel was Greek.

Published 11 July 2008

Irish government hopes oil company will respect international law

Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Micheál Martin TD, hopes the Irish oil company Island Oil and Gas would respect international law. Island operates in Western Sahara, occupied by Morocco.

Published 10 July 2008

Spanish tugboat company going to Western Sahara

The Spanish Boluda Group is looking to Dakhla and El Aaiun in occupied Western Sahara.

Published 10 July 2008

Kosmos Energy receives award

The business magazine Petroleum Africa seems to have missed a central point.

Published 10 July 2008

Anyone dares to go for this tender?

Moroccan national authorities wishes to build electricity infrastructure in Dakhla, occupied Western Sahara.

Published 09 July 2008

South African bank no longer funding WS oil explorer

The South African bank RMB has written to WSRW that they do no longer finance the operations of Island Oil and Gas. The Irish oil company Island has an agreement for oil exploration in occupied Western Sahara in violation of international law.

Published 09 July 2008

Ballance Agri-Nutrients into politics

One of the 2 importers of Western Sahara phosphates to New Zealand, Ballance Agri-Nutrients, have taken a political position in the question of Western Sahara. To the contrary of all states in the world, Ballance believes that Western Sahara is part of Morocco.

Published 03 July 2008

EU Commission admits fishing in occupied Western Sahara

The EU Commission has admitted that EU vessels fish in Western Sahara, occupied by Morocco. Western Sahara Resource Watch demands an immediate halt to the fishing, until the agreement has been corrected to clearly exclude the territory offshore Western Sahara.

Published 03 July 2008

Some Money Smells Too Bad

"It is surprising that mainly Bergen-owned Gearbulk sails for the occupying power Morocco". Read here editorial in one of Norway's biggest newspapers, Bergens Tidende, 29th of June 2008.

Published 01 July 2008

Caught on camera

This photo, taken in Port of Lyttleton, New Zealand on June 20th, shows the vessel Pacific Victory offloading phosphates from occupied Western Sahara.
Read also: Another Hong Kong vessel involved in plundering.

Published 01 July 2008

Fisheries agreement ignores the UN

"EU - and Denmark - can not on the one hand support the UN\'s criticism on Marocco\'s illegal occupation of Western Sahara and simultanously, on the other hand, make a fisheries agreement with Marocco that totally ignores Western Sahara's rights to their own resources" states member of European Parliament\'s Development Committee, Socialist People’s Party's Margrete Auken.

Published 28 June 2008

Here Simge Aksoy discharges the phosphate

See photographs of the Gearbulk chartered vessel Simge Aksoy discharging phosphates from occupied Western Sahara in Port of Tauranga, New 23rd of June 2008.

Published 25 June 2008

Demands end to occupation before deeper cooperation

Irish Member of European Parliament, Kathy Sinnott, demands that the occupation of Western Sahara must end and that the Morocco-EU fisheries agreement be reviewed before the EU gives any so-called 'Advanced Status' to Morocco.

Published 21 June 2008

Another Hong Kong vessel involved in plundering

In May, the Hong Kong based company Jinhui Shipping regretted having carried out phosphate shipments from Western Shara, and said they would never do it again. Here is an other Hong Kong company caught red-handed.

Published 21 June 2008