Decision of Germany not to finance Siemens projects in Western Sahara reflects its commitment to respecting international law

ubbi buchraya
Mon, 12/04/2023 - 20:33

Toledo (Spain), 4 December 2023 (SPS) - The representative of the Polisario Front in Switzerland and at the United Nations and international organizations in Geneva, Oubi Bouchraya Bachir, affirmed on Sunday in Toledo (Spain) that the decision of the German government to exclude any financing of projects by the giant of alternative energies Siemens in occupied Western Sahara, reflects the true position of Germany regarding the status of this non-autonomous territory and testifies to its willingness to respect international law.

In response to a written question from a member of parliament, the German government, through Vice Minister of Economic Affairs and the Environment Udo Phillip, confirmed that "the federal executive does not support any projects in Western Sahara occupied by Morocco," citing the "undetermined status" of the Sahrawi territory.

"This decision clearly reflects Germany's true position" regarding Western Sahara and "undermines Moroccan propaganda" regarding an alleged alignment of this European country with the positions of the Makhzen (Moroccan government), emphasized Oubi Bouchraya in a statement to APS, following the conclusion of the 47th Conference of the European Coordination of Support and Solidarity with the Sahrawi People (EUCOCO).

According to the Sahrawi diplomat, this position, which represents "a development of particular importance, denotes the willingness of Germany to respect international law and the status of Western Sahara which remains to this day a non-autonomous territory in the process of decolonization".

"The use by the German government of the term ‘occupied Western Sahara by Morocco’ represents, from a political and diplomatic point of view, a stance that puts an end to the doubts that Morocco has tried to sow around the" official position of Germany, he said.

The representative of the Polisario Front stated that Siemens was part of a Moroccan plan aimed at misleading the international community through a propaganda campaign that projects a false image of Morocco as an "ecological country."

In this regard, Oubi Bouchraya assured that the Moroccan government is trying to make Western Sahara "an integral part of this plan aimed at creating a certain dependence of European countries on renewable energies."

Highlighting that the Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara is "sustained by injections of funds from European countries and companies," the diplomat noted that the Moroccan economy is now deprived of a "very significant" source of money following the German government's decision.

In this context, he observed that this decision comes "on the eve of a highly anticipated ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) regarding the illegally extended EU/Morocco fishing agreements to occupied Western Sahara, which will certainly be very positive."

"The decision of the German government proves that the European Union is fully aware of the possible reconfirmation of the General Court's decision, where these agreements were annulled," he stressed. (SPS)

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