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Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Morocco is pushing a new industry in Western Sahara, a territory it does not control. The North African country has already leased out oil and gas exploration rights to various companies despite a UN resolution prohibiting it, now it is moving forward on establishing a renewable energy sector in Western Sahara.
A new report was released detailing the sustainability of the renewable energy sector on Morocco’s economy; however, the government is taking land of the Saharawi people. The Western Sahara Resource Watch’s (WSRW’s) “Dirty Green March” details how the North African country plans to build over 1 GW of renewable energy plants with its current renewable energy generation standing at 5.5% of Morocco’s total energy production. The report said, “By 2020, the amount could be increased to an astonishing 26.4%.”
The report said Moroccan government used the natural resources of Western Sahara as it deems fit, but it is in violation with international law. The WSRW said that with the increased energy access, the fisheries sector and extractive industries would be more lucrative. “Through the plans, Morocco is furthermore connecting the territory it occupies to its own and Europe’s energy grid, a sly political move.” The Saharawi people are considered, by the report, legal owners of the land has not given permission to the government and therefore the renewable energy plans are in violation of a key UN legal opinion.
“These upcoming solar and wind projects, no matter how green, will be severely damaging for the people of Western Sahara. The energy produced will be used to capitalize on the resources already illegally being exploited by Morocco in Western Sahara, thereby intensifying the ongoing pillage. And by exporting the energy to the EU and to Morocco proper, the occupying power seeks to anchor its untenable claim over the territory,” Sara Eyckmans, WSRW coordinator, said.
On the back of the renewable energy report by WSRW, the organization issued a report on French oil company Total’s “irresponsible comeback” in occupied Western Sahara. According to the report Total has spent an estimated $75 million in seismic studies on acreage it has no business exploring.
“Total shows a complete disregard of basic principles of corporate social responsibility. It refuses to listen to any talks of the legitimate rights of the people of the occupied territory”, stated Erik Hagen, chair of WSRW.
The license in which Total was working on was awarded to the company in 2001; the UN Legal Office let it be known that any further exploration would be in violation of international law unless the Saharawis consented to it. However, WSRW says Total has continued to renew its license without seeking the consent of the Saharawi people. Total holds the biggest block of all the oil companies involved in occupied Western Sahara today – Total’s block is the size of Portugal – and has from July 2012 to July 2013 carried out the most advanced and expensive seismic studies ever.
Concerns raised regarding the rights of the Saharawi people have been rejected by the company, claiming it does not want to engage in politics. Total does not wish to respond to questions regarding their plans.
“Total has become one of the largest obstacles to solving the conflict in Western Sahara. What interest would Morocco have in solving the conflict as long as their partnership with Total results in oil findings in Western Sahara?” stated Hagen
“We now urge the owners of Total to put immediate pressure on the company. If Total fails to terminate its unethical involvement, we ask shareholders to stop their investments. Through its activities over the last year, Total has revealed its real intention to find oil in Western Sahara in partnership with the Moroccan government,” stated Hagen.
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