Fifty years of plunder: How Morocco and its allies profit from Western Sahara

The article argues that Morocco is systematically employing greenwashing to legitimize its occupation of Western Sahara by partnering with foreign corporations to exploit the region’s natural resources under the guise of sustainable development. Major European and American firms are investing heavily in renewable energy and agriculture projects, such as wind farms and desalination plants, which are marketed as climate-resilient solutions. However, these initiatives primarily serve to cement international economic ties with the occupying power, effectively laundering Morocco’s reputation while ignoring the lack of consent from the indigenous Sahrawi people. This strategy creates a dangerous precedent where international companies and governments normalize the violation of international law by treating occupied territory as sovereign Moroccan land. Despite legal challenges from the Polisario Front in the European Court of Justice, rulings that demand Sahrawi consent are frequently sidelined or interpreted loosely. The article highlights how these "green" investments facilitate demographic changes and create political dependencies, allowing Morocco to solidify its control and obscure the reality of its ongoing colonial administration and human rights abuses. The relevance to greenwashing lies in the deceptive framing of resource extraction as ethical environmental action. By associating green energy with Morocco’s economic growth, foreign actors inadvertently support an unjust occupation, making sustainability a tool for geopolitical impunity rather than ecological good. This case underscores the urgent need for rigorous due diligence and transparency, suggesting that consumers and policymakers must recognize the political context of these products to avoid complicity in the exploitation of a non-self-governing territory.

Source: middleeasteye.net
Published on 2025-11-07

Fifty years of plunder: How Morocco and its allies profit from Western Sahara

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