Western Sahara Resource Watch

WSRW urges Innophos to answer on unethical imports

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

Norway blacklists US/Canadian fertilizer firms over Sahara imports

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

7 Dec: Conference on EU fisheries in European Parliament

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

British seismic in occupied Western Sahara

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

Two EU Parliament committees reject EU-Morocco Fish Pact

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

Latest: vessel discharged unethical Sahara cargo in Australia

The vessel 'Allegra' was on 3 November 2011 observed discharging phosphate rock in Tasmania, Australia. The cargo originates from occupied Western Sahara. See video of the operation here.

Published 06 November 2011

Moroccan tomato settlers protest their way back to Sahara

Settlers from Morocco cultivate lucrative quantities of tomatoes and melons at the King of Morocco's plantation in Dakhla, occupied Western Sahara. Faced with incessant job-cuts, these workers are currently staging a protest in Casablanca. Nipping further protests in the bud, the authorities have promised them their jobs back.

Published 06 November 2011

Morocco reveals location of oil drilling in occupied Western Sahara

...At 28 kilometres east of town of Boujdour.

Published 06 November 2011

Bastagli: Europe turns its back on the Arab Spring's forgotten nation

Former UN Special Representative to Western Sahara, Francesco Bastagli, laments the European Parliament's lack of will to ask for a legal opinion on the EU fisheries agreement with Morocco.

Published 06 November 2011

Sharks in danger of extinction in Western Sahara

The shark population in occupied Western Saharan waters is under threat by Moroccan and European fishing. That is one of the many disturbing conclusions of the independent post-evaluation report on the EU's fish deal with Morocco.

Published 03 November 2011

Australian groups request customs check on Tasmanian phosphate import

The Australia Western Sahara Association (AWSA) and the Australian Unions for Western Sahara (AUWS) are set to challenge on Monday the arrival in Hobart of phosphate rock from Western Sahara saying it is unethical and illegal in international law.

Published 30 October 2011

Scottish fishing sector favours illegal fisheries in occupied waters

Leading figures from the Scottish fishing sector pled for the continuation of the EU-Morocco Fisheries Partnership Agreement, at a conference hosted by Scottish MEP Struan Stevenson last Thursday in Gibraltar.

Published 24 October 2011

Unethical Kiwi trade continues

New vessels loaded with phosphate rock plundered from occupied Western Sahara are coming in to New Zealand ports.

Published 21 October 2011

Budget rapporteur calls for rejection of fish pact

The rapporteur of the European Parliament’s Budget Committee recommends Parliament to reject the one-year extension of the EU-Morocco Fisheries Agreement. “Tax payers’ money needs to be spent wisely and legally”, he said.

Published 21 October 2011

If you know this firm, please contact WSRW

A firm called Teredo Morocco Ltd has got the right to explore for oil offshore Western Sahara in violation of international law. If you know the company, please send us a mail.

Published 20 October 2011

Development rapporteur urges Parliament to thumb down fish deal

The rapporteur of the European Parliament's development committee agrees with the rapporteur of the fisheries committee: Parliament should not accept the one-year extension of the fish deal with Morocco. "The right way to go is not in neglecting international law, principles of environmental sustainability or sound economics", she said.

Published 19 October 2011

Health deteriorates for president of natural resource group

Sidahmed Lemjiyed, President of the Saharawi Committee for Protection of Natural Resourcs (CSPRON) was detained 25 December 2010 in El Aaiún. Since then, he has been imprisoned without being accused of a crime, and without having been before a court. According to an international group that visited Morocco this week, his health is deteriorating.

Published 16 October 2011

Statement in the UN of New York lawyers

Association of the Bar of the City of New York urged the UN to react against the natural resources exploitation in the United Nations Special Political and Decolonization Committee, 6 October 2011.

Published 14 October 2011

ABC: "Australian phosphate importers violate Australian law"

Sydney barrister is calling on three major Australian companies to stop their imports from occupied Western Sahara, saying the firms might be liable to future compensation claims from the people of the territory. ABC, 10 October 2011.

Read also: Australian Lawyer questions legality of phosphate imports

Published 10 October 2011

Australian Lawyer questions legality of phosphate imports

The Australian Institute of International Affairs hosted an event in Melbourne on Wednesday 5th October on the issue of Western Sahara under the title: Western Sahara and its Phosphate Rock: is Australia in a Hard Place?

Published 10 October 2011