Should we boycott Western Sahara and Morocco? 

Western Sahara is a coastal area of mostly desert in northwest Africa. For over 50 years, it’s been militarily occupied by Morocco – against the wishes of the local population, known as the Sahrawi people.

The Sahrawi people claim that Moroccan authorities in the region, including the police, have committed human rights violations such as sexual abuse and violence against local people. Hundreds of thousands of locals have been relocated since the occupation began, and now live in refugee camps in Algeria.

A UN peace keeping force has been in charge of monitoring the situation since 1991. After decades of impasse, with de facto Moroccan rule over the region, in 2025 the UN Security Council passed a resolution legitimising Moroccan claim to Western Sahara.

This move faced criticisms from campaign groups. Human Rights Watch has raised concerns that this move, and the next steps linked to it, do not prioritise the Sahrawi’s right to self-determination and have concerns that international law will not be followed. 

The pro-independence Polisario Front, which is recognised by the UN as the representative of the Sahrawi population, says it won’t join any process aiming “to ‘legitimise’ Morocco’s illegal military occupation.”

The role of companies in Western Sahara

When governments and international bodies don’t uphold the rights of local people, people might ask what other avenues for pressure exist (the Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement is one example).

For years campaigners and the Sahrawi people have shown how international companies have a role to play in their struggle. They argue that the international companies operating in the territory are profiting from its resources without the consent of its people.

What products come from Western Sahara?

Morrocco, with the help of local and foreign companies, profits from resources taken from Western Sahara. The Sahrawi people have led legal battles trying to challenge this.

According to Western Sahara Resource Watch, “a number of international companies are today political actors that reap profits from the conflict”. It argues that companies active in the region generate employment for illegal Moroccan settlers, in violation of the Geneva Conventions.

Sahrawi journalist and filmmaker Mamine Hachimi says foreign companies extracting resources from the region via collaboration with Morocco “grants legitimacy” to the occupation.

1) Renewable energy

Morocco is, as of October 2026, not an oil- or gas-producing country. Most of its energy needs are met by imported fossil fuels, making it dependent on a volatile market. Owning its own renewable energy is one way it can gain sovereignty over its energy needs (and reduce its energy bill). EU countries also signed a deal with Morocco for cooperation on renewable energy, which could make it a major income generator for the country in future.

Lots of Morocco’s renewable energy plans involve using land in Western Sahara, including setting up green hydrogen, renewable energy plants, and wind farms there.

In Western Sahara, the wind farms are owned almost entirely by Nareva – an electricity firm owned by the Moroccan monarchy.

But international companies are involved in making them.

2) Oil and gas exploration

Morocco has awarded oil and gas exploration licenses to foreign companies for over two decades.

There are two known exploration licences operating today, both held by Israeli companies. One permits offshore exploration, the other onshore.

3) Fishing

Morocco catches vast amounts of fish from the Western Sahara coastline, and several other EU fishers also operate there – without permission from the people of Western Sahara. Russian trawlers have fished there since 1992, and Japan has permits to source fish, for example, tuna.

Lots of fish sourced from the West Sahara waters is transported to West African markets. Some ends up frozen in Spain – in particular octopus caught in Western Sahara ends up on Spanish markets.

The fishmeal trade to Turkey is one of Morocco’s largest revenues made from Western Sahara territory, with WSRW estimating this at $64m in 2021.

In 2019 a vessel owned by the company Green Reefers from Norway planned to transport Western Sahara fish, caught by the Russian fleet, into South Africa. The vessel made a u-turn before arriving in South Africa, upon learning – according to WSRW – that the South African authorities would detain the vessel if it entered their waters.

Köster Marine Proteins imports large amounts of fishmeal, bringing it from Western Sahara into Europe. 

4) Phosphates

Rocks of phosphates are extracted from Western Sahara and transported via cargo vessels to importers overseas. They are used for fertilisers, and according to WSRW are a major source of revenue for Morocco.

According to WSRW, the number of importers of phosphate rock from Western Sahara has dropped from 15 in 2012 to just four in 2024. It says many have published statements saying they do not wish to continue such imports, citing international law or human rights concerns.

Paradeep Phosphates Ltd (India/Morocco), Innophos Holdings Inc (USA), Ballance Agri-Nutrients Ltd (New Zealand) and Onoda Chemical Industry Co Ltd (Japan) were listed as the major importers of phosphate from Western Sahara in 2024.

Windmills installed by Siemens in 2013 supply the phosphate extraction industry’s energy needs in Western Sahara. Siemens told WSRW that these activities were in compliance with applicable laws.

Caterpillar trucks have been observed transporting phosphate rocks in Western Sahara. In 2023 WSRW contacted Caterpillar asking about use of company equipment in phosphate mines in the region but received no reply.

5) Infrastructure

Petroleum products are essential for Morocco to maintain its occupation of the territory, according to WSRW. They fuel vehicles, engines and vessels that are used for resource extraction or military purposes by the Moroccan army.

Two Spanish companies – Cepsa and Repsol – export practically all (84%) petroleum into Western Sahara, according to WSRW based on data for 2023.

WSRW has not received a response from Repsol on its exports, and Cepsa stated in 2022 that its supply to the Sharawi territory was “fully permitted” and that it would not comment further.

Several shipping companies are involved in transporting this oil into Western Sahara, and the major shipping company involved is French company Sogestran.

6) Sand taken for beaches

Western Sahara is right next to the Canary Islands – and vessels loaded with sand travel from the former to the latter, before being deposited on the islands’ tourist beaches.

Nearly a million tonnes of sand were transported abroad from Western Sahara between 2020 and 2024, with most going to the Canary Islands and some to Cape Verde, according to WSRW’s report Stolen Beaches.

The YECASA group imports the sand into the Canary Islands, which is 23% owned by the Canary Islands government and has received EU funding.

7) Agricultural products

Agricultural companies grow crops such as tomatoes, melons and blueberries in Western Sahara. These end up in supermarkets all over Europe, although many European chains have explicit policies preventing them from purchasing agricultural products from Western Sahara.

The big companies are owned by either Morocco or French companies: Rosaflor, Soprofel, Azura and Les Domaines Agricoles.

WSRW claims the agricultural industry is a driving force for populating the territory with Moroccan settlers. It also takes a lot of water, and is depleting the underground water reserves in the area.

Tesco's tomatoes

Ethical Consumer viewed an email sent from Tesco to Western Sahara campaign in August 2025 stating that it sells tomatoes imported from Dakhla (a city in disputed Western Sahara territory) and labels it as “produce of Morocco”. Tesco claims this is in line with Government guidance, which the campaign group disputes.

Are your products really from Morocco?

WSRW claimed in a report published in December 2025 that certification schemes help Moroccan companies operating on occupied land pass as “responsible”, while concealing violations of international law, court rulings and product origin information.

It claims that certification schemes certify products made by Moroccan exporters, which were produced on occupied land in Western Sahara. It says these certifications are failing to ensure that produce from Western Sahara is labelled as such – instead it is labelled simply as “Morocco”.

The certification schemes it claims does this include, for example,

• Global-G.A.P.
• Friends of the Sea
• FSSC 22000
• BRCGS

Two certifiers have broken the mould though: The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) and LSQA have withdrawn from Western Sahara entirely.

Related issues

From Uyghur forced labour in China and exploitative migrant labour in Spanish agriculture, to factories in illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian land, we have lots of features showing how products and brands are linked to human rights abuses worldwide.

Take a look at our index of articles linked to oppressive regimes. 

Additional research by Marlous Veldt.