• RABAT, Morocco (AP) - Adidas acknowledged on Friday that the design for its new jersey collection for Algeria's national soccer team was inspired by Morocco's zellige mosaic pattern, resolving a dispute with the Moroccan government that had accused the sport apparel company of "cultural appropriation" of its heritage. (wtrf.com)
  • A lawyer for the Moroccan government, Mourad Elajouti, sent "a legal warning" to Adidas on Sept. 30, demanding that the German company removed the collection within two weeks or released a statement "to identify the zellige art of Morocco as an inspiration" for the design of the Algerian team's jerseys. (wtrf.com)
  • The company added it has "deep respect for the people and craftsmen of Morocco," prompting officials in the North African country to express pride over its efforts to defend Moroccan cultural heritage on the global stage. (wtrf.com)
  • This case demonstrated to us tangibly the importance of protecting Moroccan cultural heritage," Elajouti, the government lawyer, said in a statement on Friday. (wtrf.com)
  • In February, three Danish journalists who came to see the situation in Western Sahara for themselves were expelled by Moroccan authorities," he added. (euobserver.com)
  • Sweden u-turned on a decision to recognise Western Sahara earlier this year, and signed a extradition agreement allowing it to return Moroccan children that are living on Swedish streets. (euobserver.com)
  • Actually, there are more Moroccan soldiers in Western Sahara than there are Sahrawis", he told VG Nett. (wsrw.org)
  • He is particularly worried about the situation for all those who have been forced to flee Western Sahara after the Moroccan occupation started in 1975. (wsrw.org)
  • Systematic human rights abuses, police brutality, violations of international law and fundamental rights, the Sahrawi people of Africa's last colony, Western Sahara, have endured decades of repression at the hands of Moroccan occupying forces. (left.eu)
  • What followed was a sham effort at 'consultation' by the Commission, involving a strange assortment of groups such as Morocco's largest mining firm, officials elected illegally under Moroccan occupation, Moroccan state-owned companies and private corporate interests. (left.eu)
  • MEP Patricia Lalonde, was a board member at a secretive Morocco-based foundation, EuroMedA, alongside former Moroccan government ministers and state officials. (left.eu)
  • Former United States President Donald Trump in 2020, recognized Moroccan control over the Western Sahara in an attempt to strengthen relations between the Kingdom and the State of Israel. (popularresistance.org)
  • The 'New Colonialism': the case of Western Sahara Senior International Program Officer (Africa) at War on Want Tom Lebert writes on permits given to British companies by the Moroccan government to explore for oil and gas in the Western Sahara. (jadaliyya.com)
  • reports Fighting has erupted in several areas between the Moroccan military and the Polisario Front, the Sahrawi liberation movement seeking independence, after the Moroccan military broke into a no-go buffer zone in southern Western Sahara. (parkindymedia.org)
  • We express our strongest condemnation of the new aggression perpetrated by the Moroccan army against the Saharawi population, as well as our total rejection of the unacceptable behaviour of the Spanish Government in the face of the worrying events in Western Sahara. (pressenza.com)
  • We urge the Spanish Government to fulfil its obligations as the administering power of the Saharawi territory pending decolonisation so that the Saharawi population can gain access to their freedom and independence and, in turn, we demand that the Spanish Government immediately cease the sale and donation of arms to the Moroccan army. (pressenza.com)
  • We denounce the crimes against humanity committed by Morocco in the Occupied Territories of Western Sahara and the ongoing harassment and brutality with which the Moroccan apparatus of repression treats the Saharawi civilian population, activists and journalists. (pressenza.com)
  • This led to a reported shortage of gas in both Morocco and also Spain, which had previously received gas supplies through the Gazoduc Maghreb Europe (GME) pipeline, despite claims made by Moroccan officials that the move would have little impact. (dailytelegraph.co.nz)
  • The Trump administration as part of this so-called Abraham Accords bought off Morocco by supporting Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara," said Mr. Fletcher. (finalcall.com)
  • Additionally, media reports said the deal included an alleged $3 billion investment package for Moroccan banks, hotels and a renewable energy company owned by Morocco's King Mohammed VI, said the New York Times. (finalcall.com)
  • Last Sunday, Moroccan security forces arrested six Sahrawi demonstrators in the occupied territory of Western Sahara after protests broke out in response to the death of a hunger striking Sahrawi prisoner, Hassana al-Wali. (middleeasteye.net)
  • I knew Hassana for decades, he was a brave campaigner, especially on the issue of removing the landmines laid by the Moroccan army in Western Sahara because his father was killed by a landmine," said Mohammed al-Baikam, the secretary-general of the fishing associations of Dakhla and a friend of the deceased. (middleeasteye.net)
  • The Moroccan government wanted him in prison for years because of his stand against torture and police violence, they wanted him silenced and now they have finally succeeded," Baikam told Middle East Eye. (middleeasteye.net)
  • While no other country than the United States has ever recognized Morocco's unilateral annexation of Western Sahara , [2] [3] a number of countries have expressed their support for a future recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over the territory as an autonomous part of the Kingdom . (decisivechro276.cfd)
  • The UN recognizes neither Moroccan [5] nor SADR sovereignty over Western Sahara. (decisivechro276.cfd)
  • Moroccan settlers currently make up more than two thirds of the 500,000 inhabitants of Western Sahara . (decisivechro276.cfd)
  • According to the Moroccan government, in 1958 the Moroccan Army of Liberation fought Spanish colonizers and almost liberated what was then Spanish Sahara. (decisivechro276.cfd)
  • Last December the Moroccan ambassador to Russia, Abdelkader Lecheheb, told the state press agency Sputnik that trade was the priority in the relationship between the governments. (johnhelmer.net)
  • We have wonderful relations with Morocco, though it is strange that we have been seeing a certain reduction in trade, specifically in certain traditional Moroccan goods. (johnhelmer.net)
  • But last year turnover plunged 34%, as Russian exports of oil and petroleum dropped sharply following the bankruptcy of the Moroccan refinery company responsible for handling the Russian products. (johnhelmer.net)
  • Alexander Tkachev, the Russian Minister of Agriculture, said during the meetings with the Moroccan delegation last week said that Morocco is one of the suppliers Russia is looking to in order to replace the European Union supplies now subject to counter-sanctions. (johnhelmer.net)
  • The company Kerr-McGee Corporation 3 Through its subsidiary Kerr-McGee du Maroc Ltd. entered in 2001 into a contract with the governmental Moroccan oil company ONAREP regarding geological and geophysical studies off shore Western Sahara. (regjeringen.no)
  • Moroccan authorities describe Western Sahara as "Moroccan Saharan Provinces", and claim sovereignty over the area. (regjeringen.no)
  • According to the UN, however, Western Sahara is still a Non-Self-Governing Territory, and, as such, not subject to Moroccan sovereignty. (regjeringen.no)
  • Advocacy groups like the Western Sahara Resource Watch (WSRW) contest the legality of foreign businesses, like Kosmos, working with the Moroccan government to exploit Western Saharan resources. (ipsnews.net)
  • WASHINGTON, Mar 11 2014 (IPS) - Even as U.S. and Moroccan executives meet to discuss strengthening private sector ties between the two countries, advocacy groups are raising concerns about plans by a U.S. energy firm to explore for oil in the contested territory known as Western Sahara. (ipsnews.net)
  • The Moroccan government hopes to capitalise on its 2006 free trade agreement with the United States and encourage U.S. investment in the country by presenting it as a gateway to European, Middle Eastern and African markets. (ipsnews.net)
  • There's a lot going on in Morocco, and the question is how can it leverage what it has to attract American investments to Morocco that can then be directed to a European market or south to the African markets," Jean AbiNader, the executive director of the Moroccan American Trade and Investment Centre, a non-profit established by Morocco's King Mohammed VI, told IPS. (ipsnews.net)
  • While international investors in renewable energy have long favoured Morocco, enabling the construction of solar plants and wind farms, U.S. and European corporations are also rushing to take advantage of concessions for possible oil reserves, some of which are potentially located in the Western Sahara, which many people view as under Moroccan occupation. (ipsnews.net)
  • Sahrawis [indigenous Western Saharans] are standing on the sidelines of this project, waving their arms and telling companies to stop doing this on behalf of the Moroccan government. (ipsnews.net)
  • Unlike Morocco, the Polisario Front did not want to allow Moroccan settlers in the Western Sahara to participate in the referendum. (ipsnews.net)
  • To date, no other state recognises Moroccan sovereignty over the Western Sahara, which is on the United Nations list of Non Self-Governing Territories. (ipsnews.net)
  • The Sahrawi have little access to these resources, as many of the workers are Moroccan citizens who immigrated to Western Sahara to work in the industries. (iijd.org)
  • Resources originating from the territory of Western Sahara are marketed by the Moroccan government as originating from Morocco, and companies wishing to take advantage of the resources present in the territory contract through the Moroccan government or Moroccan businesses. (iijd.org)
  • The Sahrawi have no control over the natural resources and the commerce from those resources in the Moroccan occupied territory. (iijd.org)
  • The Moroccan government controls the entirety of the coastline, preventing many Sahrawi from fishing, a lucrative industry. (iijd.org)
  • Moroccan controlled mines employ predominantly Moroccan employees, take phosphorus belonging to the Sahrawi and sell it to foreign companies under the Moroccan name. (iijd.org)
  • The report noted that in the Moroccan territory, "the Sahrawi people are not only denied their right to self-determination, but equally are severely restricted from exercising a series of other rights. (iijd.org)
  • The Moroccan government has targeted advocates like Khaya for their work defending the region's Sahrawi people and advocating for an independent Western Sahara. (democracynow.org)
  • The Moroccan occupation of most of SADR's territory since 1975 has been receiving increasing Western support, despite a consensus in international law that Morocco has no legitimate territorial claims over SADR, whose right to self-determination is well-recognized. (towardfreedom.org)
  • Nevertheless, in late 2020, then-U.S. President Donald Trump had announced his decision to open a consulate in occupied Western Sahara, in effect recognizing it as Moroccan sovereign territory. (towardfreedom.org)
  • Western Sahara is home to the Algerian-backed Polisario Front, a Sahrawi rebel national liberation movement aiming to end Moroccan presence in the territory. (cameroonconcordnews.com)
  • In 1991, Moroccan forces and Sahrawi rebels agreed on a UN-brokered truce and a referendum to settle the status of Western Sahara. (cameroonconcordnews.com)
  • November 13 last year marked the latest escalation between Moroccan armed forces and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic - represented at the UN by the Polisario Front - in the disputed desert territory south of the kingdom. (libyanexpress.com)
  • He visited Rabat in early July and met with Moroccan officials, but he didn't visit the Western Sahara region, hoping to be able to do so sometime later. (aawsat.com)
  • It formed a government-in-exile in 1976 and declared the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR). (mbendi.co.za)
  • Spain has announced that it has endorsed a proposal by the Kingdom of Morocco to designate the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) as an "autonomous" region within the North African state. (popularresistance.org)
  • For all these reasons, we demand from the Spanish Government coherence and firmness in its defence of International Law and the support and respect for the legitimate right to freedom of the Saharawi people, as well as the formal recognition of the diplomatic status of the Polisario Front, as the sole and legitimate representative of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic. (pressenza.com)
  • In February 1976, the Polisario Front declared Western Sahara to be the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), with the support of allies that included Algeria. (finalcall.com)
  • The Sahrawi government in exile, the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), opposes the occupation and claims that 30 Sahrawi political prisoners have gone on hunger strike this year alone. (middleeasteye.net)
  • Another section, the Liberated Territories , is administered by the Polisario Front as the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR). (decisivechro276.cfd)
  • The background for this request was that the Minister of Finance had received letters from the Western Sahara Support Committee and the Government of the SADR (Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic), asking him to disinvest from the Fund's investments in the company Kerr-McGee Corporation. (regjeringen.no)
  • He said, "The African Union, the successor to the Organization of African Unity, recognized the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic as a full member in 1984. (lusakatimes.com)
  • Dismissing a now-deleted tweet by Kenyan President William Ruto about rescinding recognition of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), the Kenyan foreign ministry clarified on September 16 that it would continue to maintain diplomatic relations with SADR and support its right to self-determination. (towardfreedom.org)
  • Morocco withdrew from the AU in 1984, when the mineral-rich and sparsely populated Saharan Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) - commonly known as Western Sahara - was accepted as a member. (cameroonconcordnews.com)
  • Morocco has since 1975 repeatedly refused to comply with the peace plans under the auspices of the UN, the African Union, and more than one hundred Security Council resolutions. (vest-sahara.no)
  • They stem largely from a dispute over the Western Sahara, a territory annexed by Morocco in 1975. (wtrf.com)
  • Morocco has occupied the area since 1975. (euobserver.com)
  • In spite of the special status of Western Sahara \"a non-self governing territory still to be decolonized and occupied by Morocco since 1975 \" the Dutch company FUGRO N.V. agreed to carry out seismic surveys on behalf of the US company Kerr-McGee, which won a license from Morocco in 2001. (wsrw.org)
  • While the 1975 annexation and the resulting conflict forced tens of thousands of Sahrawi people into refugee camps in the desert, European countries and Morocco have remained fixed on exploiting the occupied territory's resources, such as fertile fishing grounds off the coast. (left.eu)
  • The territory was ceded to Morocco and Mauritania after the exit of Spain as a colonial power in 1975. (popularresistance.org)
  • Sahara since 1975. (lu.se)
  • Once colonized as the Spanish Sahara, the area has been in dispute since Spain relinquished it in 1975. (finalcall.com)
  • The Polisario has engaged an armed independence struggle against Morocco from 1975 until a United Nations brokered ceasefire was reached in 1991. (finalcall.com)
  • Western Sahara is a United Nations designated non-self-governing territory that has been subject to an occupation by Morocco since it invaded in 1975. (middleeasteye.net)
  • Since the Madrid Accords of 1975, a part of Western Sahara has been administered by Morocco as the Southern Provinces . (decisivechro276.cfd)
  • In October 1975, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) rejected claims from Morocco and Mauritania regarding their alleged sovereignty over the territory. (regjeringen.no)
  • Morocco annexed Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony, in 1975. (cameroonconcordnews.com)
  • that Norway follow, among others, the African Union and recognize the Sahrawi Arabic Democratic Republic an independent state. (vest-sahara.no)
  • Christian Democrat Youth (KrFU) of Norway supports the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination and independence and demand that Norway recognize the Western Saharan republic. (vest-sahara.no)
  • In November 1984, the Polisario Front's SADR was recognised by the Organisation for African Unity leading to the withdrawal of Morocco from the OAU in protest. (mbendi.co.za)
  • The Government of the SADR, which is a full-fledged member of the African Union and recognised by over 70 Countries worldwide, considers the activities of Fugro N.V. to be unauthorised, illegal and an insult to the Saharawi people. (wsrw.org)
  • The most progressive states within the AU have supported the SADR in their struggle to win independence from Morocco. (popularresistance.org)
  • Both the United Nations and the African Union (AU) has recognized the SADR as a government in waiting with a legitimate claim to represent the people of the de facto colony. (popularresistance.org)
  • Nonetheless, in response to the seating of the SADR by the OAU/AU, Morocco withdrew its membership from the continental organization. (popularresistance.org)
  • The SADR controls 20 percent of its territory-mostly barren desert, while 80 percent is controlled by Morocco. (finalcall.com)
  • Also known as Western Sahara, SADR is a founding member of the African Union (AU) and the continent's last colony, fighting a war for liberation from Morocco. (towardfreedom.org)
  • This was a setback to Morocco, which had declared a diplomatic victory over SADR prematurely, before any official announcement by the Kenyan government. (towardfreedom.org)
  • The UN, the AU, the Court of Justice of the European Union and the International Court of Justice all maintain that Morocco has no legitimate territorial claims over SADR. (towardfreedom.org)
  • The companies have been advised that any current and future involvement in the exploration of hydrocarbons in Western Sahara is illegitimate, politically improper and ethically irresponsible\", says Liesbeth den Haan from the Netherlands Foundation for the right to Self-Determination for the Saharawi people. (wsrw.org)
  • The two parties agreed to hold a referendum on national self-determination for the Sahrawi. (left.eu)
  • When will we show some respect for the right of the Sahrawi people to self-determination? (left.eu)
  • In 1991, a truce was negotiated with the promise on a referendum on the right to self-determination of Western Saharan inhabitants, the Sahrawi. (lu.se)
  • Saharawis take part in 2014 conference on self-determination and independence held in Morocco. (finalcall.com)
  • The UN installed a peacekeeping force called the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) charged with monitoring the truce and coordinating the referendum on self-determination in the Western Sahara. (finalcall.com)
  • Morocco is not willing to allow the people the right to self-determination today, and the oil industry is becoming an obstacle in terms of putting pressure in Morocco to accept that right. (ipsnews.net)
  • Self-determination has been a point of contention for the Sahrawi people since the UN encouraged Spain to decolonize the territory in the 1970s. (iijd.org)
  • In lieu of a referendum on self-determination, Spain ceded administrative control of the territory to Morocco and Mauritania, two nations that asserted claims over regions in the occupied territory. (iijd.org)
  • Drawing attention to the historical struggle of the Sahrawi people, Dr M'membe explained, "The Polisario Front, founded in 1973, has fought for the self-determination and liberation of Western Sahara. (lusakatimes.com)
  • This communique, which was made public on Monday, September 19, reiterated, "UN Security Council Resolution 690 (1991)… calls for the self-determination of Western Sahara through a free and fair referendum administered by the UN and the AU. (towardfreedom.org)
  • The official described Morocco's proposal to establish autonomy in the Western Sahara region as an "illusory desire and a proposition doomed to failure," as he blamed Rabat for being behind any regional deterioration for not supporting a "just and final solution to the conflict through a referendum for self-determination. (libyanexpress.com)
  • Sidi Mohamed affirmed that the Polisario Front is committed to peace and to defending by all legitimate means the right of the Sahrawi people to self-determination and independence. (aawsat.com)
  • However, while the Court's judgment meant the European Commission would first need to obtain the consent of the Sahrawi people before finalising agreements with Rabat, the Commission went on to relaunch a new trade deal, the EU-Morocco Association Agreement. (left.eu)
  • Rabat has denied most of the charges laid out against it by the Algerian government. (dailytelegraph.co.nz)
  • Morocco, however, claims the territory forms its "southern provinces" and is part of a historic "greater Morocco" with Rabat maintaining near full control of the area. (middleeasteye.net)
  • Government and business leaders from the United States and Morocco are gathering in Rabat this week for the second annual Morocco-U.S. Business Development Conference. (ipsnews.net)
  • Sahrawis from the Algeria-backed Polisario Front have sought independence for the region for decades. (wtrf.com)
  • As part of the peace process, Sahrawis were due to vote about independence in 1992. (euobserver.com)
  • The final future of the state of Western Sahara will be settled when the forthcoming UN-supervised referendum is held in which the country's inhabitants must choose between independence or integration with Morocco. (mbendi.co.za)
  • Since replacing Spain as coloniser, Morocco has attempted to control a territory about the size of the UK using military force to suppress free speech and pro-independence protests. (left.eu)
  • Formerly known as the "Spanish Sahara", the people of the territory have been demanding national independence for decades. (popularresistance.org)
  • Polisario Front1, the liberation movement of Western Sahara, had fought to claim its independence but failed to do so. (lu.se)
  • The Sahrawis make up 500,000 people, with 170,000 living in UN administered refugee camps in Algeria and who fled a vicious independence war against Morocco that began in 1976. (finalcall.com)
  • Wali was an active member of the pro-independence indigenous Sahrawi movement and was also known for his human rights work on torture and police brutality. (middleeasteye.net)
  • He was detained and sentenced to three years' imprisonment for his involvement in pro-independence, anti-government protests in Dakhla in November 2011. (middleeasteye.net)
  • Western Sahara , formerly the Spanish colony of Spanish Sahara , is a disputed territory claimed by both the Kingdom of Morocco and the Popular Front for the Liberation of the Saguia el Hamra and Rio de Oro (Polisario Front) , which is an independence movement based in Tifariti and Bir Lehlou . (decisivechro276.cfd)
  • Its aim was to achieve independence for Western Sahara. (regjeringen.no)
  • After calling for Western Saharan independence from Spain, Morocco took control of the territory, which it calls the Southern Provinces, in 1976 after the Spanish withdrew. (ipsnews.net)
  • Highlighting the consequences of this recognition, Dr M'membe continued, "By siding with imperialists and recognizing Morocco's colonization of Western Sahara, Mr Hichilema has not only disregarded the aspirations of the Sahrawi people for independence but has also compromised Zambia's reputation as a supporter of justice and freedom. (lusakatimes.com)
  • The Polisario Front, a political group of indigenous Sahrawis, wants independence. (prwatch.org)
  • Morocco and Algeria have long been at odds over the disputed territory of Western Sahara, where the Algiers-backed Polisario Front is seeking independence from Rabat's rule. (aawsat.com)
  • Many Sahrawi Arabs live in refugee camps in Algeria. (euobserver.com)
  • Five hopeful Sahrawi youth from the refugee camps were selected on Wednesday 14th of August for a two year International high school education at one of 13 United World Colleges (UWC) around the World. (vest-sahara.no)
  • Tens of thousands of Sahrawis live in Polisario-run refugee camps in Algeria. (prwatch.org)
  • Western Sahara is Africa's last colony! (vest-sahara.no)
  • Western Sahara is often referred to as Africa's last colony. (euobserver.com)
  • A nearly thirty-year-old ceasefire has ended in occupied Western Sahara-what many consider to be Africa's last colony. (parkindymedia.org)
  • Dubbed North Africa's new 'Cold War', the tensions between Morocco and neighboring Algeria threaten to escalate and the consequences of this have a lot more to do with Western meddling in the affairs of the two countries than meets the eye. (dailytelegraph.co.nz)
  • When Spain left, Morocco laid claim to the area triggering a resistance movement by the indigenous Sahrawi people refusing annexation of their lands. (finalcall.com)
  • that aid to the Sahrawi refugees is increased. (vest-sahara.no)
  • Young refugees in Algeria camps feel betrayed by EU over Western Sahara, threaten attacks on Morocco, as UN chief Ban Ki-moon makes rare trip to 'forgotten' conflict. (euobserver.com)
  • Refugees from Western Sahara demonstrated this week against a Norwegian company which is fishing in the country's waters. (wsrw.org)
  • It is the Norwegian company Sjøvik-gruppen which raises anger among refugees from Western Sahara, because one of the company's vessels is operating offshore the country's coastline. (wsrw.org)
  • The demonstration took place on the wharf of the capital of the Canary Islands, Las Palmas, where the refugees are living after having fled their country, which is occupied by the neighboring state Morocco. (wsrw.org)
  • Sahrawi refugees on the Canary Islands on 27 May demonstrated against a Norwegian fishing vessel which was docked in Las Palmas harbour. (wsrw.org)
  • They sadly went on to consolidate the illegal annexation by extending various EU-Morocco deals to cover Western Sahara. (left.eu)
  • The Annexation of Western Sahara by Morocco took place in two stages, in 1976 and 1979, and is considered illegal under international law . (decisivechro276.cfd)
  • Morocco maintains that Western Sahara is an integral part of the kingdom, but the international community has not recognized the annexation. (cameroonconcordnews.com)
  • Morocco's Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication demanded last month that Adidas pull the new collection off the market alleging that the design on the jerseys of the rival North African team depicts a traditional mosaic of colored earthenware tiles, known in Morocco as zellige. (wtrf.com)
  • Christian Juhl, a green-left MP that initiated the motion, told EUobserver his peers were all worried that Morocco's occupation of Western Sahara was getting worse. (euobserver.com)
  • The letter endorses Rabat's position on Western Sahara, describing Morocco's 2007 proposal for Sahrawi autonomy - which would integrate the territory into Morocco - as 'the most serious, realistic, and credible' basis for resolving the conflict. (popularresistance.org)
  • Spain is now the strongest European supporter of Morocco's autonomy plan - even in comparison to France, a close ally of Morocco. (popularresistance.org)
  • Un documentaire anglais explore l'immense richesse musicale du Maroc English documentary "Morocco gateway to Africa" explores Morocco's musical and cultural diversity. (jadaliyya.com)
  • Western Sahara clouds Morocco`s return to African Union RFI reports on Morocco's intention to rejoin the AU and the complications with AU recognition of the Western Sahara and the Polisario Front. (jadaliyya.com)
  • Critics say taking Morocco's side disqualified the U.S. as a credible broker on the Western Sahara issue. (finalcall.com)
  • In the case of Morocco, until Mr. Trump recognized Morocco's illegal land claim, America maintained relations with a noncommittal posture toward the contradiction. (finalcall.com)
  • Morocco's Noor, Egypt's Benban, and the Xlinks Morocco-UK proposal all show how much renewable energy North Africa has to offer. (njayuk.com)
  • At this week's conference, participating energy companies, such as Dow Chemical, were given the option to attend sessions on Morocco's energy sector, highlighting the potential for both renewable and carbon-based investment in the kingdom. (ipsnews.net)
  • In a strongly worded statement, Dr Fred M'membe, President of the Socialist Party of Zambia, criticized opposition leader Mr Hakainde Hichilema for aligning himself with what he referred to as "imperialists" in recognizing Morocco's colonization of Western Sahara. (lusakatimes.com)
  • However, he stressed that rejoining of the body did not mean an change in Morocco's stance on Western Sahara. (cameroonconcordnews.com)
  • Special envoy to the foreign ministry, Ammar Ballani, said Morocco's invitation to Algeria to a roundtable on the Western Sahara issue was "outdated," in comments he made to the state-run Algeria Press Service . (libyanexpress.com)
  • The Western Sahara liberation movement, Frente Polisario, publishes its position on human rights monitoring. (vest-sahara.no)
  • notably France, Israel, Spain, and the Polisario Front that represents the national liberation movement for the Sahrawi people. (dailytelegraph.co.nz)
  • In 2016, the European Court of Justice reaffirmed that Morocco had no sovereignty over Western Sahara, meaning that the EU's agreements with Morocco cannot cover the territory. (left.eu)
  • In order to resolve the sovereignty issue, the UN has attempted to hold a referendum through the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), and is holding direct talks between the Kingdom of Morocco and the Polisario Front. (decisivechro276.cfd)
  • Rabat's tense relations with Algiers have deteriorated since Morocco last year won Washington's recognition of its sovereignty over Western Sahara in exchange for normalising ties with Israel. (libyanexpress.com)
  • During the week-end of 7-9 December the National Board of the Christian Democrat Youth in Norway passed a resolution demanding recognition of the Western Saharan Republic. (vest-sahara.no)
  • More controversially, Kosmos now intends to start oil exploration in an area off the Western Saharan coast, known as Cap Boujdour, in October. (ipsnews.net)
  • Since then, however, both multinational energy firms and Western Saharan advocacy groups have construed the U.N. opinion to favour their respective stances. (ipsnews.net)
  • The Sahrawi people are entitled to a referendum to decide the country's future, but Morocco refuses to give them that possibility. (vest-sahara.no)
  • But Morocco stopped the UN-negotiated referendum from taking place. (euobserver.com)
  • However, Morocco has persistently worked to defer the referendum, which has still not taken place. (left.eu)
  • The UN has been unable to ensure that Morocco holds a national referendum within the Western Sahara over the future of the territory. (popularresistance.org)
  • Following years of armed conflict between Morocco and the Algerian-backed Polisario Front, the international community established the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) in 1991. (ipsnews.net)
  • MINURSO intended the referendum to determine whether the Western Sahara would become an independent state or part of Morocco, but the vote was never able to be implemented due to disagreements over who was eligible to take part. (ipsnews.net)
  • This did not change the status of Western Sahara as a non-self-governing territory, and prolonged the referendum. (iijd.org)
  • Sahrawi people have been waiting "a long time for a referendum" to decide their future, says Khaya. (democracynow.org)
  • Formerly the Spanish colony of Rio de Oro, Western Sahara was annexed by both Morocco and Mauritania when Spain withdrew in February 1976. (mbendi.co.za)
  • Morocco possesses the "last colony in Africa" with its occupation of the Western Sahara, which it long claimed since 1957 as its southern province. (finalcall.com)
  • The disputed status of Western Sahara -- a former Spanish colony considered a "non-autonomous territory" by the United Nations -- has pitted Morocco against the Polisario Front since the 1970s. (aawsat.com)
  • Morocco is systematically breaking the human rights of Sahrawi people. (euobserver.com)
  • With flags and loud calls, the Sahrawis - which the people is called - showed their aversion to what they see as a plunder of the natural resources of Western Sahara. (wsrw.org)
  • The people of Western Sahara is strongly against it, just look at the demonstration which has now taken place", Hansen told VG Nett. (wsrw.org)
  • They have, among other things, compared the Sahrawi people with the Saami people in Norway", Hansen said. (wsrw.org)
  • We demand a guarantee from Fugro N.V. that no future exploration activities will be carried out in Western Sahara without the consent of the Saharawi people, and that the data collected will be handed over to their representatives \" the Polisario Front. (wsrw.org)
  • This clear violation of international law and the rights of the Sahrawi people to determine their future is extremely damaging to efforts towards peace in this conflict. (left.eu)
  • But amid all of this - negotiations, votes, rulings, resolutions - the fate of the people of the Western Sahara is at issue. (left.eu)
  • Mauritania relinquished its falsely designated authority over the Western Sahara, while the Kingdom of Morocco, one of the few remaining monarchies on the continent, has refused to allow the people of the territory to even conduct an internationally supervised and monitored election on the status of their own country. (popularresistance.org)
  • But it also states that "while the specific contracts … are not in themselves illegal, if further exploration and exploitation activities were to proceed in disregard of the interests and wishes of the people of Western Sahara, they would be in violation of the principles of international law applicable to mineral resource activities in Non-Self-Governing Territories. (ipsnews.net)
  • He stated, "It's very sad and humiliating that Mr Hichilema has decided to make our country a puppet and agent of imperialism against the subjugated, humiliated, and struggling courageous people of Western Sahara. (lusakatimes.com)
  • The Sahrawi people have endured years of oppression and displacement, and their plight should be a cause of concern for all progressive and justice-loving individuals. (lusakatimes.com)
  • We must reject any attempts to undermine the rights and struggles of oppressed nations, such as the Sahrawi people. (lusakatimes.com)
  • Many people have a limiting narrative about life in the Middle East, and tend to lump the countries all together: assuming they all speak Arabic, are majority Muslim, have economies based on oil, and have non-Democratic governments. (istizada.com)
  • In May 1991, the Polisario Front and Morocco ended many years of fighting following a UN sponsored peace settlement. (mbendi.co.za)
  • They are accused by campaigners of being complicit to the illegal occupation of Western Sahara by Morocco, they are requested to hand over collected data to the Polisario Front, and the shareholders of the companies are being urged to divest. (wsrw.org)
  • The judicial activism in a relatively uncharted area in this field, external relations, was analyzed through a qualitative case study of the CJEU case Polisario Front , concerning the application of a EU trade agreement to the non-self-governing territory of Western Sahara. (lu.se)
  • The Polisario Front is the group that has been at war with Morocco over the years for the territory. (finalcall.com)
  • Although the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) treats the status of Western Sahara as 'undetermined', its lack of reference to its current effective partition, considering the existence of the Polisario-held areas, indicates an acceptance of Morocco as the administering power in the entire territory. (decisivechro276.cfd)
  • After a war in which the Frente POLISARIO was victorious, Mauritania and the Frente POLISARIO entered into an agreement in which Mauritania renounced all claims over Western Sahara. (iijd.org)
  • This gave the Frente POLISARIO control over approximately one-third of the territory, leaving Morocco with the other two-thirds. (iijd.org)
  • The (UN) Security Council resolutions explicitly specify which parties are involved, and that is Morocco and the Polisario Front. (libyanexpress.com)
  • While Morocco controls some 80 percent of the Western Sahara, the rest is administered by the Polisario. (libyanexpress.com)
  • The two officials discussed the latest developments on the Western Sahara issue and prospects of bolstering UN efforts to resume direct negotiations between the two parties to the conflict, Morocco and the separatist Polisario Front. (aawsat.com)
  • He earlier met with Sidi Mohamed Omar, representative of the Polisario at the United Nations, and Head of the Sahrawi negotiating delegation, Khatri Addouh. (aawsat.com)
  • The statement further claimed that Morocco and Kenya had signed a joint statement agreeing that "in deference to the principle of territorial integrity and non-interference, the Republic of Kenya [had extended] total support to the serious and credible autonomy plan proposed by the Kingdom of Morocco" as the only possible solution to the Sahara issue. (towardfreedom.org)
  • A delegation from the European Parliament's Morocco friendship group is visiting Western Sahara on Saturday and Sunday (4 and 5 June) on Rabat's invitation. (euobserver.com)
  • The Norwegian government has recently changed its rhetoric with regard to the conflict and no longer wants to call Western Sahara occupied. (vest-sahara.no)
  • The Ministry of Foreign Affairs now calls the conflict an "unresolved legal situation", even though the UN treats the country like a decolonizing project and defines Western Sahara as occupied. (vest-sahara.no)
  • The KrFU's national board agrees with Jan Egeland, the UN's special adviser for conflict resolution, who has declared that the conflict in Western Sahara is the conflict in the world which most urgently needs to be resolved. (vest-sahara.no)
  • Western Sahara is clearly a country in conflict, in which Fugro N.V. is now involved without authorisation from the legitimate administration. (wsrw.org)
  • As President Joseph Biden has been reversing policies of his predecessor, questions are floating about what his administration will do concerning the issue of Western Sahara, a disputed territory in North West Africa where conflict has recently escalated into war. (finalcall.com)
  • The little-known conflict was exacerbated in the final weeks of the Donald Trump administration by an unprecedented decision to recognize a sovereign claim to the territory by the Kingdom of Morocco. (finalcall.com)
  • Algeria's involvement in the so-called round tables is no longer on the agenda," clarified Ballani, as he claimed Morocco was trying to portray Algiers as being a party in the Western Sahara conflict. (libyanexpress.com)
  • Decades-old tensions between Morocco and Algeria have deepened in recent years. (wtrf.com)
  • With Israel's normalization, the feud between Algeria and Morocco is escalating. (dailytelegraph.co.nz)
  • Algeria justified its move further by citing examples, such as Morocco using the Israeli Pegasus spyware against Algerian officials, supporting terrorists groups, failing to uphold bilateral commitments, the normalisation of ties with Israel, and refusing to engage diplomatically on the Western Sahara issue. (dailytelegraph.co.nz)
  • Although many of the accusations made against Morocco by Algeria have been strongly denied, they nonetheless have a real impact on public perception of the two sides. (dailytelegraph.co.nz)
  • He said that "first you are going to have them [Algeria and Morocco] seeking regional supremacy, through the arms race that we have been seeing for nearly a decade now, but also through the diplomatic race. (dailytelegraph.co.nz)
  • In 2022, 38 countries had a negative trade balance in agricultural products, with Algeria, Egypt, Nigeria, Morocco and Angola leading the ranking with more than $3bn lost over the year. (tralac.org)
  • Algeria is sandwiched between Tunisia and Morocco on the north coast of Africa on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. (istizada.com)
  • Algeria announced on Wednesday its refusal to participate in any future negotiations on the disputed Western Sahara territory. (libyanexpress.com)
  • Algeria on 24 August cut diplomatic relations with its neighbour, accusing it of "hostile actions" including using Israeli technology to spy on its officials, charges Morocco dismisses. (libyanexpress.com)
  • Morocco has recently renewed adherence to the political process, of which Algeria is a major party, in accordance with Resolution 2602, which calls for a just, realistic and lasting mutually acceptable political solution to the Sahara issue. (aawsat.com)
  • Juhl hopes that Denmark will take up the vacant leadership role in defending Western Sahara's interests in the EU. (euobserver.com)
  • Western Sahara is illegally occupied by Morocco, and Sjøvik violates international law by helping Morocco steal Western Sahara's fish. (wsrw.org)
  • Veteran activist Wali died in a military hospital in Western Sahara's second city, Dakhla, on 27 September. (middleeasteye.net)
  • After being sentenced to jail for "participation in an illegal demonstration" and "forming a gang", Wali was taken to a detention facility in Western Sahara's would-be capital city Laayoune. (middleeasteye.net)
  • Morocco currently controls the majority of Western Sahara's natural resources in the form of fisheries, phosphates and iron ore, and other resources. (iijd.org)
  • Morocco has made an official request to join the African Union (AU) again more than four decades after leaving the pan-African bloc in protest at Western Sahara's membership. (cameroonconcordnews.com)
  • The state of Western Sahara or Sahrawi Republic lies along the coast of West Africa between Mauritania to its south and east, and Morocco on its northern border, and forms part of the West African region. (mbendi.co.za)
  • After Mauritania withdrew from the territory in August 1979, it was incorporated into and administered by Morocco. (mbendi.co.za)
  • The Center for Research on Globalization writes on the recent politicized struggle between Canadian gold company Kinross and its employees in Mauritania. (jadaliyya.com)
  • Mauritania administers the western half of the Ras Nouadhibou Peninsula. (decisivechro276.cfd)
  • Later that year, Spain entered into an agreement with Morocco and Mauritania concerning the transfer of power over Western Sahara. (regjeringen.no)
  • In the Agreement, Spain confirmed her intentions of contributing to the decolonisation of Western Sahara, and to transfer the duties as Administrative Power to Morocco and Mauritania. (regjeringen.no)
  • Set to be developed in Morocco, the proposed 3.6-gigawatt power plant proves that North Africa can be a leader in the renewable energy industry. (njayuk.com)
  • The official position of the Kingdom of Morocco since 1963 is that all of Western Sahara is an integral part of the kingdom. (decisivechro276.cfd)
  • The Kingdom of Morocco has officially submitted a request to accede to the African Union Constitutive Act, and therefore, become a Member of the Union," the statement read. (cameroonconcordnews.com)
  • The international coalition for the protection of natural resources of Western Sahara has today sent letters to the president and CEO of Fugro, Mr G-J. Kramer, and to its subsidiaries involved in the actual survey work, condemning their activity in the occupied territory. (wsrw.org)
  • The company carries out exploration in the territory despite the UN legal office stating it would be in violation of international law. (vest-sahara.no)
  • Western Sahara Resource Watch has today launched a report detailing how Morocco intends to build over 1000 MW (megawatts) of renewable energy plants in Western Sahara, a territory that Morocco partially occupies. (vest-sahara.no)
  • The map affirms the Sahrawi Republic's claim over the disputed territory of Western Sahara, but also draws Morocco up to the de facto border, which conflicts with both countries' claim over the land. (axenewsroom.com)
  • The territory in this case is Western Sahara, South of Morocco, who includes the territory as part of its own country. (lu.se)
  • Western Sahara is listed by the United Nations (UN) as a non- decolonized territory and is thus included in the United Nations list of non-self-governing territories , which regards Spain as the de jure administering state. (decisivechro276.cfd)
  • Western Sahara, a Spanish protectorate since 1884, was, according to the provisions of the UN Charter, established as a Non-Self-Governing Territory in 1963. (regjeringen.no)
  • The agreement did not alter the status of Western Sahara as Non-Self-Governing Territory under the UN. (regjeringen.no)
  • Western Sahara -- a North African territory and one of the last remaining official colonies, or non-self governing territories -- is controlled by Morocco . (prwatch.org)
  • The Sahrawi Republic has potential deposits of oil, natural gas, uranium, iron and phosphates. (mbendi.co.za)
  • Many demonstrate in search of social justice, against the assassination of activists, against the plundering of their natural resources by Morocco and the EU. (left.eu)
  • But according to Sahrawi activists from Dakhla, it was only after persistent pressure from friends and family that Wali was eventually taken, in custody, to a civilian hospital and then a military hospital in the city. (middleeasteye.net)
  • Human rights and labor activists protested outside the Washington DC offices of Public Strategies, Inc. , claiming that the public relations firm helps the Bridgestone / Firestone Tire Company "deflect attention away from the company's long history of exploiting workers and the environment on its rubber plantation in Liberia . (prwatch.org)
  • Created in 2007 in Laayoune, by the Sahrawi journalists Ali Haidar and Mokhtar Lebouihi, and edited by their company COMMEDIA Press, the website has quickly gained a large audience and is now considered as one of the most frequently consulted sources of information about the Sahara. (sahara-news.org)
  • Subsequently Morocco invaded parts of Western Sahara, which led to strong reactions from the Security Council. (regjeringen.no)
  • Morocco used the accord to sell goods from occupied territories, which is illegal under international law. (euobserver.com)
  • A fishing company operating in occupied Western Sahara and a Saharawi support group in Norway have concluded an agreement under the umbrella of the OECD guidelines for multinational companies. (wsrw.org)
  • In the same vein, we request the mediation of the Spanish government so that the Saharawi prisoners, many of whom are unjustly sentenced to sentences of between 10 and 30 years, and even life imprisonment, are released as soon as possible. (pressenza.com)
  • We also urge Spanish companies to stop their plundering activity in Western Sahara, not only because it contravenes international law, but also because the only legitimate owner of these resources and their legal representative is the Saharawi population, whose fundamental rights are being trampled upon. (pressenza.com)
  • The Corell Opinion recognises Morocco as the de facto administrative power of Western Sahara. (ipsnews.net)
  • In a letter from the Ministry of Finance dated 12 December 2004, the Petroleum Fund's Council on Ethics was asked to assess whether the investments by the Fund in the company Kerr-McGee could constitute a violation of the Ethical Guidelines for the Government Petroleum Fund. (regjeringen.no)
  • In 2002, Morocco awarded contracts for oil exploration in the Western Sahara to a U.S.-based company, Kerr McGee, and the French-based Total S.A. In response, the United Nations issued what is known as the Corell Opinion regarding the legality of resource extraction in Western Sahara. (ipsnews.net)
  • 22:29 Nicaragua has released almost 3,000 prisoners, the government revealed, amid accusations it was not taking measures to stop the spread of the deadly virus in the country's penitentiaries. (dw.com)
  • On 15 July, Iraqi authorities shut down internet access, except in the autonomous Kurdistan region, in response to anti-government protests. (eff.org)
  • Morocco asks to rejoin the African Union after 32 years Morocco seeks to make a return to the African Union after leaving thirty-two years ago over a rift on the recognition of the Western Sahara by member states. (jadaliyya.com)
  • that the government follow up the earlier efforts of, among others, [former prime minister,] Mr. Kjell Magne Bondevik and put pressure on Morocco to give the Sahrawis freedom of speech and freedom to organize. (vest-sahara.no)
  • The constitution provides for freedom of speech and press, and independent media outlets regularly criticized and satirized government officials and policies, but the government on some occasions restricted these rights. (state.gov)
  • 1. secretary at the Norwegian embassy in Morocco, Mr. Børge Romsloe, does not want comment specifically on the Sjøvik-gruppen, but confirms that companies operating in Western Sahara could be in violation of international law. (wsrw.org)
  • Israel is concerned that weapons provided by the U.S. and other Western nations to Ukraine will end up in the hands of Israel's foes in the Middle East, including Iran. (dailyalert.org)
  • The United States and many other nations do not recognize the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan, and still use the tricolor flag to represent the country. (axenewsroom.com)
  • The payoff in exchange was Morocco signing the Abraham Accords of Arab nations normalizing relations with Israel. (finalcall.com)
  • Asked to explain the sudden change in stance and dissonance within the government, Kenya's Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua told KTN News on Monday, "This was an administration in transition-[having been] only one day in office… We had many visitors, there [were] so many delegations, and communications had to be made. (towardfreedom.org)
  • The Norwegian investor KLP announced 3 June that they have blacklisted the oil company Total from its portfolio due to the company's oil activities offshore Western Sahara. (vest-sahara.no)
  • The chairman of the Norwegian Support Committee for Western Sahara, Ronny Hansen, disagrees strongly with the Norwegian Sjøvik-gruppen's involvement in Western Sahara. (wsrw.org)
  • The"barbaric attack," as described by Ennahar, Algeria's national broadcaster, killed 3 Algerians and generated a large outpour of rage from the Algerian government. (dailytelegraph.co.nz)
  • that Morocco open its borders to Western Sahara so that the international community can gain insight into the human rights situation in the occupied areas. (vest-sahara.no)
  • Juhl said that Danish companies and municipalities should not take the risk of breaking international law. (euobserver.com)
  • According to the Norwegian Support Committee for Western Sahara, the company is violating international law. (wsrw.org)
  • Dutch and British companies involved in the geological exploration of the seabed of Western Sahara have become the target of an international campaign led by the Norwegian, Dutch and UK branches of an international coalition for the protection of the natural resources of Western Sahara. (wsrw.org)
  • The British subsidiary of Fugro, Svitzer, has been carrying out the survey, while the Wales-based Robertson Research International has, according to their website, been carrying out a study in the occupied Western Sahara. (wsrw.org)
  • Our international platform Western Sahara Resource Watch is now on Facebook. (vest-sahara.no)
  • What is the incentive for Morocco to engage in peace talks when it has Europe's consent to carry on ignoring international law? (left.eu)
  • Western Sahara, a former Spanish province, has been in exile, repression and occupation for 45 years, without having been given a solution in accordance with international law. (pressenza.com)
  • Amnesty International on Wednesday broke news that seven Sahrawi hunger strikers had ended their fast, reportedly after being promised better prison conditions, but the victory is a small one and only helps to illustrate the wider abuses going on behind the scenes in the Western Sahara. (middleeasteye.net)
  • Wali's activism saw him meet with international delegations that visited Western Sahara. (middleeasteye.net)
  • Under international law, Western Sahara is not a legal part of Morocco and it remains under the international laws of military occupation . (decisivechro276.cfd)
  • The right of the Sahrawi to utilize their natural resources is supported by several international instruments. (iijd.org)
  • Regarding the international context, Dr M'membe highlighted the importance of unity and support for the Sahrawi cause. (lusakatimes.com)
  • The following day, alleged drone strikes carried out by Morocco directly targeted clearly marked Algerian trucks near the Mauritanian border with the disputed Western Sahara region. (dailytelegraph.co.nz)
  • UN special envoy for the Western Sahara Staffan de Mistura arrived in Algiers on Monday and held talks with Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra. (aawsat.com)
  • The government took steps to investigate, prosecute, or punish public officials who committed violations, especially corruption. (state.gov)
  • Impunity for police and security officials remained a problem, but the government provided information on actions taken against officials accused of wrongdoing. (state.gov)
  • Although his officials meet their Russian counterparts at an annual inter-government ministerial conference, the king hasn't patronized the meeting before. (johnhelmer.net)
  • that Norwegian companies involved in the unlawful exploitation of Western Sahara s natural resources withdraw from the country. (vest-sahara.no)
  • They further labelled the Norwegian company as pirates and thieves, plundering Western Sahara of its resources. (wsrw.org)
  • Therefore, our policy is to urge companies to not get engaged in Western Sahara, and we expect Norwegian company to take their corporate social responsibility seriously", he told VG Nett. (wsrw.org)
  • Ronny Hansen said that Sjøvik-gruppen should listen more carefully to the opinion of the Norwegian government regarding their involvement. (wsrw.org)
  • Last year, a Norwegian seismic survey company, TGS-Nopec, carried out precisely the same kind of activities in the very same area. (wsrw.org)
  • The company\'s two biggest shareholders, The Storebrand Group and The Norwegian government, put pressure on TGS-Nopec to change its policy. (wsrw.org)
  • The company Total is carrying out oil exploration in the Sahara and was this year present on Career Day at Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim. (vest-sahara.no)
  • Changemaker, SAIH and The Norwegian Support Committee for Western Sahara are now criticizing NTNU for lack of ethical guidelines. (vest-sahara.no)
  • The Norwegian pension scheme KLP is excluding the French oil company Total from its investments. (vest-sahara.no)
  • In the Norwegian newspaper Strilen today, the shipping company Fonnes Shipping denies they do something wrong when they take part in the plunder of Western Sahara. (vest-sahara.no)
  • Mohammed, whose Alouite dynasty has ruled Morocco for 350 years, hasn't been to Moscow since 2002. (johnhelmer.net)
  • The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights investigated the human rights situation in Western Sahara in 2006. (iijd.org)
  • In an exclusive interview, we speak with prominent Sahrawi human rights activist Sultana Khaya in occupied Western Sahara. (democracynow.org)
  • 22:47 The ousted head of a US government biomedical research agency is warning that the United States is facing its "darkest winter in modern history" if authorities fail to develop and implement a "national coordinated response, based in science. (dw.com)
  • To blame for the attack, according to the authorities, was "the Zionist entity [Israel]" and a "North African country," broadly interpreted to have meant Morocco. (dailytelegraph.co.nz)