Ascom energy system Western Sahara

The Spanish colonization of Western Sahara started in 1884, after the Berlin Conference, in which the European states divided up Africa among themselves, with Western Sahara becoming a Spanish possession. At first, the Spanish presence in so-called ‘Spanish Sahara’ was limited to fishing the coastal waters and. . Extractivism is a capitalist mode of accumulation through which some regions, usually in the Global North, extract the natural resources of other regions, primarily for. . Energy developments are used to create new forms of dependency outside Morocco on energy that is at least partially sourced in Western Sahara. This arguably creates a diplomatic incentive for other countries to support the. . 1 Aly, B. (10 January 2019) ‘5 key security challenges for North Africa in 2019’. Africa Portal. Available at: https://. . The energy system in occupied Western Sahara physically connects Morocco and Western Sahara through transmission lines and cables. As well. [pdf]

FAQS about Ascom energy system Western Sahara

Does Cairn Energy have a'strategic presence' in Morocco?

Simon Thomson, CEO of Cairn Energy commented that his company’s share in the farm-in Agreement would build on its existing ‘strategic presence’ in ‘Morocco’ (Thomson 2013). His key mistake was that the block to be explored – Cap Boujdour Offshore – is not in Morocco at all, but off the shores of Western Sahara, the last colony in Africa.

Is the Sahara based on economic resources?

The idea of the economic viability of the SADR being based on its economic resources is also found in Shelley (2004) and echoed by MINURSO and UN Special Envoy to the Sahara, James Baker. Kingsbury (2015) establishes that Western Sahara is illegally and militarily occupied by Morocco.

Is Western Sahara an interdisciplinary field?

“Western Sahara, Resources, and International Accountability.” Global Change, Peace and Security 27 (3): 285–299. The production of research on natural resource exploitation in Western Sahara is accelerating. Yet this field remains interdisciplinary, and the work is carried out by researchers from academic, no...

Does Morocco's occupation of Western Sahara affect the extension of the continental platform?

García Perez’s (2019) article examines the political, economic, and legal factors that affect the extension of the continental platform to the west of the Canary Islands as a consequence of Morocco’s occupation of Western Sahara, thus complementing the aforementioned works by Smith (2019) and Smith and Amiton (2013).

Why is the Western Sahara conflict so important?

Indeed, natural resources have always been at the centre of the Western Sahara conflict, and were a key demand of the anti-Spanish protestors in the early 1970s. Spain exploited Western Sahara’s rich phosphate reserves and Morocco continues to profit from the country’s natural wealth.

What role did natural resources play in the Western Sahara conflict?

The majority of research undertaken from a historical perspective on the role of natural resources in the Western Sahara conflict focuses on phosphates. Both Lalutte (1976) and Camprubí (2015) see the potential exploitation of phosphates as the key factor in motivating Morocco to invade Western Sahara.