Key Takeaways

• Western Sahara Resource Watch (WSRW) urges the UN to address the ongoing exploitation of natural resources in Western Sahara.
• The territory experiences significant pressure from resource extraction, transforming its economic landscape and complicating self-determination efforts.
• WSRW proposes a trust mechanism to manage resource revenues pending a lawful settlement on the territory’s status.

UN Urged to Address Resource Exploitation in Western Sahara

Western Sahara Resource Watch (WSRW) has called on the United Nations to confront the increasing exploitation of natural resources in Western Sahara, emphasizing its potential impact on the region’s quest for self-determination. With the UN Secretary-General’s imminent report and the renewal of the MINURSO mandate, WSRW has communicated its concerns to the UN leadership.

The organization has monitored resource exploitation in the region for over two decades. Current developments, including extensive fishing, agriculture, phosphate exports, and renewable energy projects, are reshaping the territory. By 2024, Western Sahara’s waters constituted 73% of Morocco’s coastal catch by quantity. Additionally, phosphate exports are at an all-time high, culminating in around 2.02 million tonnes in 2025.

WSRW warns that these economic activities could create irreversible changes that complicate the political resolution necessary for self-determination. The group poses a provocative question: “How can the political process remain meaningful if the economic and physical realities on the ground continue to be altered?”

To avoid detrimental outcomes, WSRW advocates for a practical mechanism to manage revenues from exploitation. This could involve placing proceeds from natural resources into a transparent escrow or trust fund. Such a framework would prevent premature assertions about the territory’s status while preserving its value until a lawful settlement is reached.

The letter underlines the need for the UN to maintain a consistent report on resource-related activities in Western Sahara, addressing ownership and value. WSRW insists that natural resource management is crucial to the peace process and can narrow the options available to the people if not handled properly.

The organization’s objective is not to halt progress in Western Sahara but to prevent economic development from overshadowing the necessity of resolving its political status. As conditions evolve, the UN must ensure that resource exploitation does not transform into an obstacle obstructing efforts toward self-determination. The pursuit of solutions must be aligned with international law to safeguard the interests of the territory’s population.

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