In a presentation published on 28 January 2012, the Irish company San Leon Energy revealed that it has carried out an oil search in the occupied land of Western Sahara(1).

This is a clear breach of international law, as the Legal Office of the United Nations expressed the opinion in 2002 that all further oil exploration in Western Sahara would be in violation of international law if the local population were not consulted, and if it did not benefit from the activities of the industry.

Similarly, the Moroccan Nareva Holding company and the German company Siemens have recently signed a contract for the delivery of a total of 44 wind turbines for the plant of Haouma — close to Tanger in the north of Morocco — and the plant at Foum El Oued. The latter is in fact located close to El Aaiun, the capital of Western Sahara(2).

What actions is the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy undertaking to encourage European corporations to comply with international law, in particular in Western Sahara?

(1) http://www.wsrw.org/files/dated/2012-02-22/sle_presentation_28.01.2012.pdf (2) http://www.wsrw.org/a105x2250