Western Sahara Resource Watch

Urged Australian companies to end to Western Sahara imports

"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

Saharawi fishermen boarded foreign trawler in protest

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

EU eyes deeper free trade with Morocco

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

Morocco announces interest in new fisheries agreement

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

Siemens facing scrutiny over Western Sahara wind project

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

The Mail: Miriam Clegg on OCP payroll

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 Nidera imports since 2009 into Uruguay

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

Danish goverment says no to Western Sahara credit

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

Anadarko with no role in Western Sahara block

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

Discrimination over the right to housing in OCP, local workers say

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

WSRW: Saharawi’s rights must be addressed

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

ONHYM continues to market uranium potential of Western Sahara

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

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

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

Here is the evaluation report of the Morocco fish deal

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

San Leon publishes exact location of seismic in occupied territory

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

European Parliament approves Morocco agricultural agreement

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

Siemens launches controversial project in occupied Western Sahara

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

WSRW report reveals massive agri-industry in occupied Western Sahara

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

Bové: "We'll do everything to stop the agri-agreement with Morocco"

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

Monster fishing vessels entered Western Sahara waters

The world’s biggest trawler and fish factory vessel have been operating in Western Sahara’s waters.

Published 30 January 2012