“No State has the right to promote or encourage investments that may constitute an obstacle to the liberation of a territory occupied by force”.
UN Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of States 1974, article 16 (2).
Foreign companies and governments illegally search for and exploit natural resources (such as phosphates, fishing stocks and minerals) in the non-self governing territory of Western Sahara. Morocco’s occupation of the territory violates both human rights and international law. Furthermore, the Moroccan plundering of the natural resources against the wishes of the people who hold sovereignty over the land – the Saharawis – is unethical, illegal and in conflict with UN resolutions and the MINURSO mission. This is the case as, ironically, the exploitation of Saharawi resources is important in funding the prolonged occupation.
The Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), which has been formally recognized by more than 70 states, does not oppose foreign investment in the territory as such, but “…it has to be done with the people who have a right to deal in the territory, with Saharawis themselves, not with Morocco” said SADR representative to Australia, Kamal Fadel.
Nevertheless, the Moroccans continue to label products originating from the occupied area as ‘Moroccan’, and a market for these products continues to exist.
In 2005 the European Union signed a Fisheries Partnership Agreement with the Moroccan state, allowing European fishing vessels to fish offshore the occupied territory. Aside from going against international law, by purchasing fishing licences from an occupying power, the EU condones colonization, visibly legitimizes Morocco’s occupation and even helps to fund it.
The year before this agreement was passed, in 2004, the US government chose to explicitly exclude the Western Sahara from the US-Morrocan Free Trade Agreement. Still, the EU decided to ambiguously leave out any mention of the Western Sahara in the 2005 Fishing Agreement, even though its capital Laayoune holds the most important harbour for the Moroccan fishing industry. This omission was probably not unintentional. Inconsistently, also in 2005, the European Parliament passed a resolution requesting ‘the preservation of natural energy resources of Western Sahara as a non-autonomous territory’.
The Western Sahara Resource Watch is an NGO committed to naming and exposing corporations and governments that illegally plunder the resources of Western Sahara. Among other goals, the organisation aims to affirm the Saharawi sovereignty over the territory and break the link between the illegal exploitation of the resources and the funding of the occupation.
Examples of action taken by the NGO to prevent exploitation in the area include the ‘Fish Elsewhere’ committee formed of members from 21 countries, in protest against the EU-Moroccan Fisheries Agreement mentioned previously.
UN Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of States 1974, article 16 (2).
Foreign companies and governments illegally search for and exploit natural resources (such as phosphates, fishing stocks and minerals) in the non-self governing territory of Western Sahara. Morocco’s occupation of the territory violates both human rights and international law. Furthermore, the Moroccan plundering of the natural resources against the wishes of the people who hold sovereignty over the land – the Saharawis – is unethical, illegal and in conflict with UN resolutions and the MINURSO mission. This is the case as, ironically, the exploitation of Saharawi resources is important in funding the prolonged occupation.
The Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), which has been formally recognized by more than 70 states, does not oppose foreign investment in the territory as such, but “…it has to be done with the people who have a right to deal in the territory, with Saharawis themselves, not with Morocco” said SADR representative to Australia, Kamal Fadel.
Nevertheless, the Moroccans continue to label products originating from the occupied area as ‘Moroccan’, and a market for these products continues to exist.
In 2005 the European Union signed a Fisheries Partnership Agreement with the Moroccan state, allowing European fishing vessels to fish offshore the occupied territory. Aside from going against international law, by purchasing fishing licences from an occupying power, the EU condones colonization, visibly legitimizes Morocco’s occupation and even helps to fund it.
The year before this agreement was passed, in 2004, the US government chose to explicitly exclude the Western Sahara from the US-Morrocan Free Trade Agreement. Still, the EU decided to ambiguously leave out any mention of the Western Sahara in the 2005 Fishing Agreement, even though its capital Laayoune holds the most important harbour for the Moroccan fishing industry. This omission was probably not unintentional. Inconsistently, also in 2005, the European Parliament passed a resolution requesting ‘the preservation of natural energy resources of Western Sahara as a non-autonomous territory’.
The Western Sahara Resource Watch is an NGO committed to naming and exposing corporations and governments that illegally plunder the resources of Western Sahara. Among other goals, the organisation aims to affirm the Saharawi sovereignty over the territory and break the link between the illegal exploitation of the resources and the funding of the occupation.
Examples of action taken by the NGO to prevent exploitation in the area include the ‘Fish Elsewhere’ committee formed of members from 21 countries, in protest against the EU-Moroccan Fisheries Agreement mentioned previously.
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This is a very nice and informative blog.The beauty explained of Sahara desert is wonderful.Thanks for sharing this blog.
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