Morocco is currently undertaking efforts to drill for oil off the shores of Western Sahara. US oil company Kosmos Energy operates on a license granted by the Moroccan state oil company ONHYM in partnership with Scottish company Cairn Energy PLC.

This violates international law. According to the UN Legal Office, oil exploration in Western Sahara is illegal if undertaken ‘in disregard of the wishes and interests of the people of Western Sahara’. The Saharawi population’s consent to oil exploration efforts has never been sought and, as Saharawis will in no way benefit from potential oil revenues, they are in complete opposition to these plans. These also undermine all efforts to find a peaceful solution to the Western Sahara conflict.

Developments over the last few days have been alarming. According to Western Sahara Resource Watch, the drillship arrived in Las Palmas harbour on 16th December and headed in a south eastern direction from there. The ship then turned off its AIS transponder which makes it invisible to monitoring.

Adala UK strongly condemns the exploitation of the resources in the occupied territory of Western Sahara, which is still pending a formal decolonisation process. We would like to ask you to show your solidarity with the Saharawis on this issue, by joining demonstrations around the world, or spreading and condemning these developments on social media, to counteract the international community’s silence on this matter.

For further information please go to: http://www.wsrw.org/lEN

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