Editing Western Sahara (section)

== Economy ==
{{Main |Economy of Western Sahara}}
[[File:Productos naturales en la farmacia de Dajla - Saharauiak.jpg|thumb|upright=1.15|Natural products in a pharmacy]]{{More citations needed|section|date=June 2023}}
Aside from its rich fishing waters and phosphate reserves, Western Sahara has few natural resources and lacks sufficient rainfall and freshwater resources for most agricultural activities. Western Sahara's much-touted phosphate reserves are relatively unimportant, representing less than two percent of proven phosphate reserves in Morocco. There is speculation that there may be off-shore oil and natural gas fields, but the debate persists as to whether these resources can be profitably exploited, and if this would be legally permitted due to the [[non-self-governing territories|non-self-governing]] status of Western Sahara (see below).

Western Sahara's economy is based almost entirely on fishing, which employs two-thirds of its workforce, with mining, agriculture and tourism providing modest additional income. Most food for the urban population comes from Morocco. All trade and other economic activities are controlled by the Moroccan government (as its de facto southern province). The government has encouraged citizens to relocate to the territory by giving subsidies and price controls on basic goods. These heavy subsidies have created a state-dominated economy in the Moroccan-controlled parts of Western Sahara.

Due to the disputed nature of Moroccan sovereignty over the territory, the application of international accords to Western Sahara is highly ambiguous. Political leadership of trade agreement signatories such as the United States (US-Morocco Free Trade Agreement) and Norway (European Free Trade Association trade accord) have made statements as to these agreements' non-applicability – although practical policy application is ambiguous.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.house.gov/pitts/press/releases/040722r-FTAwsahara.htm |title=Rep. Pitts lauds protection of Sahrawis in Morocco trade pact |publisher=House.gov |date=22 July 2004 |access-date=13 November 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110912001457/http://www.house.gov/pitts/press/releases/040722r-FTAwsahara.htm |archive-date=12 September 2011}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Western Sahara excluded from EFTA-Morocco free trade agreement |url=http://www.spsrasd.info/en/detail.php?id=11569 |publisher=SPS |date=12 May 2010 |access-date=13 May 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110516150119/http://www.spsrasd.info/en/detail.php?id=11569 |archive-date=16 May 2011}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news | title = Western Sahara "not part of EFTA-Morocco free trade" | url = http://www.afrol.com/articles/36091 | publisher = Afrol news | date = 13 May 2010 | access-date =14 May 2010}}</ref>

=== Exploitation of natural resources ===
{{MapLibrary|El Aaiún 13.22342W 27.14668N.png|[[Laayoune]]}}
After reasonably exploitable oil fields were located in Mauritania, speculation intensified on the possibility of major oil resources being located off the coast of Western Sahara. Despite the fact that findings remain inconclusive, both Morocco and the Polisario have signed deals with oil and gas exploration companies. US and French companies (notably TotalEnergies and [[Kerr-McGee]]) began prospecting on behalf of the Moroccan Office National de Recherches et d'Exploitations Petrolières (ONAREP).<ref name="UN_S2002161" />

In 2002, [[Hans Corell]], Under-Secretary General of the United Nations and head of its [[United Nations Office of Legal Affairs|Office of Legal Affairs]], issued a legal opinion on the matter.<ref name="UN_S2002161">{{UN document |docid=S-2002-161 |type=Document |body=Security Council |year=2002 |access-date=10 August 2007 |date=12 February 2002}}</ref> The opinion was rendered following an analysis of relevant provisions of the [[Charter of the United Nations]], the [[United Nations General Assembly]] resolutions, the case law of the [[International Court of Justice]] and the practice of sovereign states.<ref name="UN_S2002161" /> It concluded that while the existing exploration contracts for the area were not illegal, "if further exploration and exploitation activities were to proceed in disregard of the interests and wishes of the people of Western Sahara, they would be in violation of the principles of international law."<ref name="UN_S2002161" /> After pressures from corporate ethics-groups, TotalEnergies pulled out in late 2004.<ref>{{Cite news | title = Upstream Online: Total turns its back on Dakhla block, 2004 | url = http://www.wsrw.org/index.php?cat=193&art=1500 | publisher = [[Western Sahara Resource Watch]] | date = 3 December 2004 | access-date =2 September 2010}}</ref>

In May 2006, the remaining company, Kerr-McGee, also left, following sales of numerous shareholders like the National Norwegian Oil Fund, due to continued pressure from NGOs and corporate groups.<ref>{{Cite news | title=Last oil company withdraws from Western Sahara | url=http://www.afrol.com/articles/19029 | publisher=Afrol News | date=2 May 2006 | access-date=1 October 2010}}</ref>

In December 2014, it became known that [[Seabird Exploration]] operated controversial seismic surveys offshore Western Sahara, in violation of the 2002 [[Hans Corell]] legal opinion.<ref>{{Cite news | title=Korsvold og SeaBird-sjefen fikk protestbrev fra det okkuperte Vest-Sahara | url=http://www.dagbladet.no/2014/12/09/nyheter/nobels_fredspris/samfunn/36639526/ | publisher=Dagbladet.no | date=9 December 2014 | access-date=10 December 2014}}</ref>

The [[European Union]] fishing agreements with Morocco include Western Sahara.

In a previously confidential legal opinion (published in February 2010, although it was forwarded in July 2009), the European Parliament's Legal Service opined that fishing by European vessels under a current EU–Morocco fishing agreement covering Western Sahara's waters is in violation of international law.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.wsrw.org/index.php?parse_news=single&cat=105&art=1348 |title=European Parliament's lawyers declare EU fishing illegal |publisher=wsrw.org |date=23 February 2010 |access-date=13 November 2011}}</ref>

Similarly, the exploitation of [[phosphate]] mines in [[Bou Craa]] has led to charges of international law violations and divestment from several European states.<ref name="phosphateslaw">{{Cite web |url=http://www.csmonitor.com/layout/set/print/World/Africa/2013/0124/In-remote-Western-Sahara-prized-phosphate-drives-controversial-investments |title=In remote Western Sahara, prized phosphate drives controversial investments |last=Chick |first=Kristen |date=24 January 2013 |work=[[The Christian Science Monitor]] |publisher=[[Christian Science Publishing Society]] |access-date=24 January 2013}}</ref>