New report: Western Sahara phosphate trade halved 24.02 - 2020 08:33 The export of phosphate rock from occupied Western Sahara has never been lower than in 2019. This is revealed in the new WSRW report P for Plunder, published today.
Why does this EU statement keep disappearing?21.02 - 2020 A clarification by the EU Commission on labelling of products from Western Sahara was published, then removed, then published again and has now been removed again from EU websites.
EU reaffirms: Western Sahara products to be labelled as such19.02 - 2020 Two weeks ago, the EU Commission announced that products from Western Sahara should be labelled accordingly, only to withdraw that statement the very next day. Today, the Commission reaffirms its original position.Read more
Morocco tenders solar energy on occupied land10.02 - 2020 Morocco has launched a tender for the construction of solar plants at nine different sites, including in occupied Western Sahara.
Siemens again refuses to answer questions about Western Sahara at AGM 07.02 - 2020 For the fourth consecutive year, the German engineering company dodges questions at its Annual Shareholders Meeting as to whether it has obtained the consent of the people of Western Sahara to operate on their land.
Continental negotiating contract renewal with OCP13.01 - 2020 The contract of German engineering company Continental that covers maintenance work on the phosphate conveyor belt in occupied Western Sahara expires in five months. Read more
Fugro is back in occupied Western Sahara 25.12 - 2019 In 2010, the Dutch company Fugro promised to never again undertake operations in occupied Western Sahara. On Christmas Eve 2019, their vessels returned.
A Japanese-Canadian vessel that transported conflict phosphate from occupied Western Sahara was yesterday received by a floating protest in New Zealand. Read more
WSRW calls on UN Members to question Spain on Western Sahara at UPR10.12 - 2019 Next month, Spain’s human rights track record will be reviewed by the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. WSRW asks UN Member States to raise the rights of the people of Western Sahara, for whom Spain continues to bear responsibility. Read more
The construction work on the controversial beach of Mogán in Gran Canary started 2 December. Read more
Dutch inspectors confirm controversial fish oil02.12 - 2019 For the second time in less than two months’ time, the very same oil tanker has made the direct voyage from occupied Western Sahara to the port of Rotterdam. The Dutch government clarifies the content of the ship.Read more
Kiwi port workers threaten not to discharge Western Sahara cargo 02.12 - 2019 This morning, the New Zealand Rail and Maritime Transport Union issued a statement saying that they will "consider our options around refusing to berth the ship" if phosphate importer Ravensdown does not allow port workers to register their protest with the captain of the ship.
Will COP 25 clarify if it accepts illegal projects?28.11 - 2019 With the operationalization of the Paris Agreement as key-point on the agenda of COP25, will the UN Climate Change Conference finally clarify whether States can help combat climate change by violating the Geneva Convention and the UN Charter?Read more
Enel signs contract to build Boujdour wind farm28.11 - 2019 The 300 MW farm is the first of the two wind farms that Italian company Enel Green Power and Germany's Siemens will build together on occupied land. Construction starts in 2021.Read more
New Zealand port workers warn Kiwi importer of Saharawi phosphate21.11 - 2019 Ravensdown is "risking potentially disruptive direct action by refusing to allow port workers to register their protest at the importing of Blood Phosphate from the Western Sahara", says the New Zealand Rail and Maritime Transport Union.Read more
Morocco occupies the major part of its neighbouring country, Western Sahara. Entering into business deals with Moroccan companies or authorities in the occupied territories gives an impression of political legitimacy to the occupation. It also gives job opportunities to Moroccan settlers and income to the Moroccan government. Western Sahara Resource Watch demands foreign companies leave Western Sahara until a solution to the conflict is found.
It's not easy keeping up with all the different legal proceedings relating to Western Sahara. For the sake of clarity, here's an overview of the five different cases at the Court of Justice of the European Union.
Leading activists from Western Sahara are condemned to sentences ranging from 20 years to life imprisonment in connection to a mass protest in 2010 denouncing the Saharawi people’s social and economic marginalization in their occupied land; the Gdeim Izik protest camp.
At COP22, beware of what you read about Morocco’s renewable energy efforts. An increasing part of the projects take place in the occupied territory of Western Sahara and is used for mineral plunder, new WSRW report documents.