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The Occupation We Choose to Ignore’

Do you know who I am? I am a Sahrawi. The land to which I refer is what is known today as the non-self-governing territory ofWestern Sahara. My country was colonized by the Spanish and the French between 1884 and 1975, divided in two and occupied by Moroccan and Mauritanian forces thereafter, and has been ruled exclusively by the Kingdom of Morocco from 1979 until the present.

The Western Sahara: forgotten first source of the Arab Spring

this is one part of the Arab Spring that western governments don't want to talk about. And their silence, and the UN's complicity in it, is why that repression continues, and a terrible injustice is perpetuated.

ISS - News - The Western Sahara and North African People’s Power

Respect the right of individuals to peacefully express their opinions regarding the status and future of the Western Sahara and to document violations of human rights

King of Morocco to be biggest benefactor of EU trade agreement - Telegraph

it has emerged that the single biggest beneficiary of the deal will be the King of Morocco, who is head of one of the three largest agricultural producers in the north African country and lays claim to 12,000 hectares of the nation's most fertile farmland.

North African Dispatches Africa’s Forgotten Colony

Oblivion it seems is the current reality for the arid North African territory of Western Sahara; often referred to as Africa’s ‘Last Colony’. In my opinion, it would be more accurate to describe it as ‘Africa’s Forgotten Colony’.

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Apr 9, 2011

FIS - Worldnews - EU-Morocco agreement counterproductive: EC report

MEPs are expected to vote on the one-year renewal of the agreement with Morocco in the coming weeks. (Photo: Stock File/FIS)

EU-Morocco agreement counterproductive: EC report

MOROCCO
Friday, April 08, 2011, 23:50 (GMT + 9)

The divisive fisheries partnership agreement between the European Union (EU) and Morocco is dubious in terms of both human rights and economics. The deal has provided European tax payers with very poor returns, claims a report sponsored by the European Commission (EC).

The deal was given a one-year extension – lasting until 27 February 2012 – by the Council when it expired in February despite the disapproval of Commissioner Maria Damanaki, key MEPs and member states Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Germany and the UK.

Under the four-year old agreement, the EU gave Morocco EUR 144 million in exchange for 119 fishing licenses, mostly comprised of 101 Spanish boats. The new extension grants the EU fishing rights in return for an annual compensation of EUR 36.1 million.

The agreement mandates that Morocco must invest its profits from Western Saharan waters back into the people who inhabit that area – which has been occupied by Morocco since 1975, contrary to United Nations (UN) resolutions – but the North African country has neglected to follow through.

European Parliament legal experts as well as independent experts on international law have called the agreement illegal. Damanaki tried to ax the agreement altogether, but press reports say her colleagues in the EC disallowed.

A restricted-access report from the Oceanic Développement consultants and ordered by the Commission has revealed that neither side has seen substantial gains from the agreement.

“Each Euro spent by the EU only generated EUR 0.83 turnover and EUR 0.65 direct and indirect value added accruing to the EU,” the report reads. “These are the lowest cost-benefit ratios of support to the European fleet across all ongoing bilateral agreements.”

Moreover, the report demonstrates that only 170 new jobs have been engendered by the deal and that the fishing of about 100 EU vessels has very much contributed to overfishing Morocco’s fish stocks, reports EUobserver.

NGOs such as Greenpeace have been straining to gain access to the secret report.

"The agreement is problematic in a number of different ways: environmental, social and wasteful to the EU taxpayer," said fisheries activist Saskia Richartz.

Human rights groups and MEPs including Green euro-deputy Isabella Lovin disputed that any extension of the bilateral deal would continue to legitimise Morocco's controversial takeover of Western Sahara.

Morocco maintains that the agreement and its extension are important for its relations with the EU.

"The agreement is the cornerstone of relations between the EU and Morocco in the fishing sector and its renewal demonstrates the interest of both parties to maintain a framework for cooperation in the field of fishing on a basis of common objectives," the Ministry of Marine Fisheries of Morocco said last month.

MEPs are expected to vote on the one-year renewal in the coming weeks.

Related articles:

- Extension of EU-Morocco agreement 'guarantees future' of Spanish fleet

- Fisheries agreement with Morocco extended by 12 months

By Natalia Real
editorial@fis.com
www.fis.com