The Sahrawi youth in the refugee camps in southern Algeria had something to celebrate yesterday. The European Court of Justice has ruled in a final ruling that goods from the Western Sahara are not covered by the free trade agreement between Morocco and the EU. Switzerland has been following this principle for some time now.
With the ruling published yesterday, the European Court of Justice states that Western Sahara is not part of Morocco. The Court also emphasises the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination. And this had not been taken into account in the case of the trade agreement either. In its reasoning, the Court wrote: "It is not obvious that the people have agreed that the agreement [the trade agreement, the Red.
With this groundbreaking ruling, the European Court of Justice has established that Western Sahara is not part of Morocco from the EU's point of view. A reason to celebrate!
Politics and business closely linked
Economic activities are closely linked to the basic problems in Western Sahara. Morocco is exploiting resources in Western Sahara in violation of international law. By trading in phosphate, tomatoes, fish and other goods and resources from Western Sahara, it is treating Western Sahara as part of Morocco. This cements the occupation status and the companies and countries involved benefit from the occupation.
Western Sahara is not part of Morocco
Meanwhile, in the refugee camps in southern Algeria, the third generation of young Sahrawis is growing up. With growing impatience, they are calling for the referendum on the final status of Western Sahara to be held, as negotiated by the UN in 1991 and agreed to by all parties.
