One week in silence: No news from Total on controversy
Article image
Seven days after Total’s licence expired, no updates have been released in Moroccan media or by Total, whether the company will continue its highly dubious operations. A number of French organisations has expressed their concern over Total’s engagement in the occupied territory of Western Sahara.
Published 13 December 2012


On 6th December 2012, Total’s 12 months long licence came to an end, according to a source in Moroccan state oil company ONHYM. Western Sahara Resource Watch only few weeks ago discovered Total’s licence that had been signed in secrecy in December 2011.

”Total undermines the UN peace efforts”, stated a group of 21 French organisations in a press release dated 6 December 2012, urging the company to pull out of Western Sahara.

The organisations that signed are CEDETIM, APSO and its network, CORELSO, Association Francaise d'Amitié et de Solidarité avec les Peuples d'Afrique (AFASPA), Union syndicale Solidaires, Sortir du Colonialisme, Survie, Caritas Algérie, CNT-F, Association des Sahraouis en France, AARASD, ATTAC, Afriques en lutte, Parti de Gauche, PCF, Les Jeunes Ecologistes, CGT, Fédération pour une alternative sociale et écologique (FASE), ASPS Lorraine, NPA, Les Alternatifs, Mouvement contre le racisme et pour l'amitié entre les peuples (MRAP), Europe Ecologie Les Verts.

WSRW is currently awaiting response from Total on a number of questions relating to their operations.


Total paid near 4 million to occupier for oil block

The French company Total paid the Moroccan government near 4 million US dollars for the Anzarane exploration licence offshore Western Sahara, under illegal occupation.
08 October 2019

Total officially states it has left Western Sahara

"The contract was not extended in December 2015", company writes on website. It has also confirmed that it has "no plans" to return to the territory, which lies in the part of Western Sahara under Moroccan occupation.

21 June 2016

Norwegian investor excluded Total due to Western Sahara involvement

The Norwegian insurance company Storebrand has blacklisted both phosphate and oil companies involved in occupied Western Sahara. Among them are the French company Total, which are now back in from the cold after they withdrew from the territory.
25 March 2016

Total has left occupied Western Sahara

The French multinational oil company has announced that it is no longer pursuing oil search offshore Western Sahara. "More good news for the Saharawi people. We urge the remaining oil companies to follow suit", stated WSRW.

21 December 2015