ECONOMY OVERVIEW

– No arable land, insignificant rainfall makes sustainable agricultural production impossible

– 50% of labor force in animal husbandry (camels, goats, sheep)

– nearly all food for urban pop is imported

– fruits and vegetables grown in the few oases

– offshore waters richly stocked, commercial fishing very important

– small industrial sector

– phosphates, iron ore are backbones

– dependent on imports to meet energy needs

– Moroccan government controls all trade and economic activity

Source: C a v e n d i s h , M a rs h a l l . Wo r l d a n d I t s P e o p l e s : T h e M i d d l e E a s t , We s t e r n
A s i a , a n d N o r t h e r n A f r i c a . 1s t . M a rs h a l l C a v e n d i s h C o r p o r a t i o n , 2 0 0 7 .

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

– over 90% of households have electricity

– 80% have drinking water (much higher than Morocco's national average)

– According to Abdellatif Guerraoui, head of the southern region development agency (which

includes the SADR), Morocco has spent over $1 billion on infrastructure in the territory ince

1976. Some estimates are much higher.

– World Bank money does not (officially) go to projects in the territory

– Scant evidence of overseas aid money because of the political and legal situation

– Polisario sources say the main source of private-sector investment is a group of 5 wealthy

Sahrawi families
Source: Shelley, Toby. Endgame in the Western Sahara. 1st ed. New York, NY: Zed Books Ltd, 2004.
89. Print.

NATURAL RESOURCES

– Theoretical reserves of titanium are estimated at 271 million tons

– could have some of world's largest reserves of vanadium

– 320,000 tons of uranium could be extracted from Bou Craa reserves (uranium is extracted from

phosphate)

– Rabat is planning to further prospect areas of the territory

– potential as a producer of minerals/metals (apart from phosphate) is “unquantifiable but

assumed to be good”

Source: Shelley, p 76-78

FISH

– port development is continuing, plans to increase fleet size

– SADR's fisheries will become increasingly important to the Moroccan economy and an

increasing block to consideration of withdrawal

– in 2000, 896,000 tons of fish were landed by Moroccan ships; 317,000 tons were exported

– in 2000, exports of fisheries products accounted for $10 billion of total foodstuffs exports of

$16.4 billion. Fisheries of the SADR contribute significantly.

– In 2000, 40% of the total by weight were fish landed at El Aaiun (share by value was similar)

– Fishing has never been a mainstream Sahrawi occupation (diet reflects this)

– As part of the Madrid Accords, 100s of Spanish vessels are allowed to harvest fish

– A fishing agreement was signed between the EU and Morocco in May 2006
 – went against Hans Corell's (UN's chief lawyer) legal opinion on SADR

– 4-year $185 million agreement to allow mainly Spanish fisherman to operate in the

territorial waters of both Morocco proper and SADR

– The fishing quay at El Aaiun opened in 1986 and is now the biggest fishing port under

Moroccan control

– 80% of the sardine catch of Morocco is from El Aaiun

– in 2001, over $200 million worth of tidal fish was landed there

– 10,000 people are seasonally employed in the fishing industry in the El Aaiun region

– resources support fisherman and onshore workers in Morocco

Source: Shelley, 73-77

PHOSPHATE

– In 2000, phosphate and it's derivatives comprised 17% of Moroccan exports by value

– Moroccan economy depends on phosphate exports from SADR

– phosphate derivatives, such as fertilizers and phosphoric acid, are key elements in

Morocco's industrial sector

– Output of Bou Craa mine (in SADR) has been absorbed into that of the state company OCP

– 500 workers in mines at Bou Craa, 1900 in the entire industry in SADR

– known exploitable reserves are 132 million tons

– Spain largely funded the creation of Bou Craa in 1972 and still owns 35% of the

operation today (a provision of the Madrid Accords)

– Morocco's investment at Bou Craa has been minimal

 – Today, Bou Craa contributes over 10% of Morocco's rock phosphate and could supply

an independent state with a volume around half as great as Morocco proper produces

today

– Morocco produced nearly 21.5 million tons of rock phosphate in 2000, exported 10.3 million

tons

– Morocco controls over 25% of the world market and is the 3rd largest exporter of rock

phosphate

– Morocco is the world's biggest phosphoric acid exporter (50% of the market share)

– Average production in SADR is around 2.4 million tons a year of processed phosphate, which is

sold on contracts ranging from 1 to 10 years

– Exports are divided equally between Australasia, the US, Latin America, and Europe

Sources: Shelley, 70-73

C a v e n d i s h , M a r s h a l l . Wor l d a n d I t s P e o p l e s : T h e M i d d l e E a s t , We s t e r n
A s i a , a n d N o r t h e r n A f r i c a . 1s t . M a rs h a l l C a v e n d i s h C o r p o r a t i o n , 2 0 0 7 .

OIL

– Fall 2001: Morocco signed deals with TotalFina Elf (France) and Kerr-McGee to parcel out the

entirety of SADR's waters (90,000 sq miles)

– Feb. 2002: Hans Correll, the UN's top legal counsel, presented his opinion that reaffirmed the

principle of a people's “permanent sovereignty over natural resources”

– Under UN law, it is NOT illegal to perform oil reconnaissance and evaluation because

they do not entail exploitation or actual physical removal of mineral resources

– May 2002: Fusion (Australian company) signed agreement with Polisario which covered the

same area as Total/Kerr-McGee

– March 2006: Polisario licensed several companies to conduct their own petrol. Surveys
 – April 30th, 2006: Kerr-McGee announced that it would NOT renew it's Oct. 2001 contract with

government of Morocco

– SADR imports about 90% of its energy needs (oil and coal)

– energy demand expected to rise as government implements large-scale program to bring

electricity to rural areas

Sources: Shelley, 69-72; Cavendish, 1260

AFRICAN GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITY ACT (AGOA)

– signed into law on May 18, 2000 as Title 1 of the Trade and Development Act of 2000

– offers incentives for African countries to continue efforts to open their economies and build free

markets

– President Bush signed amendments (known as AGOA II) in 2002 as Sec. 3108 of the Trade Act

of 2002

– AGOA II expands preferential access for imports from beneficiary Sub-Saharan African

countries

– AGOA Acceleration Act of 2004, signed by Bush, extends AGOA II until Sept 30, 2015;

extended third country fabric provision until 2007

– Africa Investment Incentive Act of 2006, referred to as AGOA IV

– expands third country fabric provision until 2012; adds an abundant supply provision,

designates certain denim articles as being in abundant supply; allows lesser developed

beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries to export certain textile articles

– AGOA provides reforming African countries with the most liberal access to the US market

available to any country/region with which the US does not have a Free Trade Agreement

– expands the list of products which eligible Sub-Saharan countries may export to the US subject
 to zero import duty under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP)

– general GSP covers approx. 4600 items, AGOA GSP applies to more than 6400

– AGOA GSP provisions in effect until September 30, 2015

– duty-free and quota-free treatment for eligible apparel articles through 2015

– reinforces African reform efforts

– provides improved access to US technical expertise, credit, and markets

– establishes a high-level dialogue on trade and investment

– encourages new investments, trade, and job creation in Africa

– helps promote integration into multilateral trading system

– contributes to economic and commercial reforms which make African countries more attractive

commercial partners for US companies

-COUNTRY ELIGIBILITY

– US President is authorized to provide duty-free treatment under GSP for any article, after

the US Trade Representative (USTR) and US International Trade Commission (USITC)

have determined the article is not import sensitive when imported from African countries

– countries should be making progress in areas such as: establishment of market-based

economies; development of political pluralism and the rule of law; elimination of barriers to

US trade and investment; protection of intellectual property; efforts to combat corruption;

polices to reduce poverty; increase availability of health care and educational opportunities;

protection of human rights and worker rights; and elimination of certain practices of child

labor

– progress in each area is NOT a requirement for AGOA eligibility

http://www.agoa.gov/index.asp
HUMAN RIGHTS

– Within SADR

– Moroccan authorities repress the rights to speak, assemble, and associate on behalf of self-

determination for the Sahrawi people and on behalf of their human rights

– penalize affronts to “territorial integrity” through arbitrary arrests, unfair trials,

restrictions on associations and assemblies, and through police violence and harassment

that goes unpunished

– Within refugee camps in Tindouf, Algeria

– focus is freedom of expression and of movement

– Polisario marginalizes those who challenge its leadership directly, but does NOT

imprison them

– allows residents to criticize day-to-day administration of camps

– camp residents are allowed to leave (via Mauritania), but fear and social pressure keeps

people from disclosing plans

– Rights of refugees are vulnerable

– isolation of camps

– lack of regular, on-the-ground human rights monitoring

– lack of oversight by Algerian government

– conditions have improved since 1991 ceasefire, but neither party (Polisario or Morocco) has
been held accountable for prior atrocities
 – 125,000 people in refugee camps

– established over 30 years ago by those who fled Moroccan forces

– most still live in tents or modest huts without running water

– heavily dependent on international humanitarian aid

– run by Polisario Front, which says they are open to monitoring

– Legal Limbo

– Algeria is accountable under international law for protecting the right of all persons

within its territory, but has ceded de facto administration to Polisario (which is NOT

formally accountable)

– Camp residents subject to SADR constitution and laws

– Polisario operates courts, prisons, internal police force, controls border of camps

- Camps have no demonstrations, media, etc... that open challenge PF as national cause

– Morocco and Human Rights

– government bans peaceful demonstrations

– refuses legal recognition to human rights organizations

– security forces arbitrarily arrest demonstrators and Sahwari activists

– beat and torture them, force them to sign incriminating police statements, unfair trials

– law forbids attacks on “territorial integrity” (advocacy of independence)

– proposing any path to independence is illegal and violation of territorial integrity

 – this violates Morocco's obligations as a signer of the International Covenant on Civil

and Political Rights (ICCPR), which promises to respect freedom of speech, association,

and assembly

Source: H u m a n R i g h t s i n t h e We s t e r n S a h a r a a n d i n t h e Ti n d o u f R e f u g e e C a m p s .
N e w Yo r k , N Y: H u m a n R i g h t s Wa t c h , 2 0 0 8 .

WOMEN IN CULTURE

– more autonomy than women in other Muslim countries even though traditional society is

patriarchal

– perhaps due to years of conflict (men serving in military, working away from home)

– women are active in public life

– some of the most liberated in the Islamic world

– do not cover faces in public

– participate in government-in-exile

– vast majority of local councilors who run refugee camps are women

– however, few have ever held elected office

– young women are well-educated and work as professionals and business owners

– vast majority live in urban areas

– Rural women (especially in areas controlled by Morocco) face added discrimination, limited

access to education, healthcare, and other services

– in major ethnic tribes (Berbers, Haratin, and Saharans), status of women is materially identical

– LEGAL RIGHTS

– SADR's constitution guarantees protection of political, economic, and social rights of

 women

– women have right to vote

– trad. Inheritance practice favors men

– abortion policy non-restrictive

– in Morocco, abortion is legal only when life is in danger

– Sahrawi traditional society, women have always had equal rights to initiate divorce (easily

obtained, no social stigma)

– EDUCATION

– traditionally nomadic society, not conducive to schooling

– until 1970s, most women were illiterate

– now, girls have equal access to schools, many older women have learned to read

– gifted students equally receive scholarships to study abroad, regardless of gender

– literacy rate for women is 90-95%, Highest on the entire continent

– almost all girls complete primary and secondary school

– DATING, MARRIAGE, FAMILY

– choose partners based on affection

– legal minimum age to marry is 18

– polygamy is rare

– women in charge of households

– female infertility carries social stigma

Source: We s t e r n S a h a r a S o c i e t y a n d C u l t ure C om p l e t e R e p o r t . 1 s t e d . Wo r l d Tr a d e
Press, 2010. 19-23. Print.

HIV/AIDS

– r a p i d l y r i s i n g t h r e a t i n M us l i m w o r l d

– previously thought to be protected due to cultural/religious norms

– u s u a l r es p o n s e i n M u s l i m c o u n t r i e s i s t o a b s t a i n f r o m i l l i c i t d r u g us e a n d

sexual practices

– s e x u a l i t y i s a p r i v a t e m a t t e r, t a b o o t o p i c f o r d i s c u s s i o n

– very pronounced social stigma

– involves disclosure of risky practices

– barrier to testing, treatment, counseling

– M a n y M u s l i m c o u n t r i e s e i t h e r d o n o t r e p o r t t h a t s t a t s o r a r e u n d e r- r e p o r t i n g

– Data from WHO's Global Health Atlas indicates evidence of a growing

threat in Muslim countries

– R E A S O N S F O R S P R E A D O F H IV I N M U S L I M C O U N T R I E S

– Islam places high value on chaste behavior

– prohibits sexual intercourse outside of marriage

– s p e c i f i c a l l y p r o h i b i t s a d u l t e r y, h o m o s e x u a l i t y, a n d u s e o f i n t o x i c a n t s

– brothels, commercial sex trade

– I V d r u g us e r s r a p i d l y g r o w i n g
- R E S P O N S E TO H I V

– most governments in denial of increasing threat

– t y p i c a l t o s i m p l y p r o p a g a t e M us l i m i d e a l s ( a b s t a i n i n g )

– BARRIERS

– Gender Inequality

– imbalance of power between men and women

– u n d e r e d u c a t e d w o m e n a r e d e p r i v e d o f r e s o u r c e s , u n aw a r e o f r i g h t s ,

less likely to be able to negotiate with infected partners, easier

t a rg e t s f o r a b u s i v e r e l a t i o n s h i p s

– S t i g m a a n d D is c r i m i n a t i o n

– much more pronounced in Muslim countries due to religious doctrine

– greater negative sanctions for illicit sexual conduct than drug use

– even suspicion of illicit conduct is punished

– prevents testing, counseling, treatment

– Ignorance, Misinformation

– m a n y a s s u m e a l l H IV i n f e c t i o n s a r e t r a n s m i t t e d o n l y t h r o u g h i m m o r a l

sexual behaviors

– c o m p a s s i o n t o w a r d H IV- p o s i t i v e p a t i e n t s i s p e r c e i v e d a s t o l e r a n c e

toward the practices that have lead to acquiring the infections

- p o v e r t y, e c o n o m i c i n s t a b i l i t y, w a r, i n t e r n a l c o n f l i c t s , r e f u g e e s , m i g r a n t

l a b o r f o r c e s , l a c k o f e d u c a t i o n , l a c k o f h e a l t h c a r e r es o u r c e s a n d
 infrastructure

– RECOMMENDATIONS

– bridge gap between religion's teaching and practice

– Uganda and Indonesia

– religious scholars more flexible in justifying use of condoms, clean needles

– “Sanctity of life is greater than the sin of condom use”

– others believe that attitude will only lead to more risky behaviors

– 1992: Islamic Medical Association of Uganda designed AIDS prevention project

– 23 trainers educated over 3000 religious leaders, then they trained others at home

visits and religious gatherings

– after 2 years, significant increase in accurate knowledge of transmission, methods of

prevention

– reduction in self-reported sexual partners among those under 45

– increase in condom usage

– Senegal

– good STD tracking system

– education, utilizing religious institutions and mass media sources

– Address underlying problems

– poverty, lack of education

– Develop collaborative prevention and care models

– religious leaders, academics, health professionals, NGOs, communities

– Appropriate healthcare resources and infrastructure

– blood safety/infection control

– surveillance and reporting mechanisms

– drug abuse prevention and rehab

– medical care and social support for positive patients

– testing, treatment

– adequate number of healthcare workers

– reproductive health care programs