Morocco's Use of Tourism as a Tool for Resource Exploitation
CHAHID EL-HAFED – Former Spanish MEP and political analyst Miguel Urbán expressed critical views this Saturday from the Sahrawi Presidency headquarters in Chahid El-Hafed, asserting that Morocco has transformed the tourism sector into a crucial instrument for plundering Sahrawi resources and legitimizing its military occupation. During his remarks at the international conference titled "The Legal Battle and the Permanent Sovereignty of the Sahrawi People over Their Natural Resources," Urbán emphasized that the exploitation of occupied territories under the guise of tourism constitutes a blatant violation of international law and the rulings issued by the EU Court of Justice.
Drawing parallels between Moroccan practices in Western Sahara and attempts to turn Gaza into a tourist resort at the expense of Palestinian suffering, Urbán highlighted the disingenuous promotion of the occupied city of Dajla as an "eco-friendly and sustainable" destination, alongside its development as a center for water sports. He pointed out that while Morocco boasts of becoming Africa's leading tourist power in 2024 with 17.4 million visitors, the reality is that Dajla remains under heavy security surveillance and a media blockade that prevents journalists and international observers from entering the area.
European Complicity in Resource Plundering
The Spanish anti-colonial activist harshly criticized the involvement of European companies and institutions in this situation, citing the use of Spanish influencers to promote Dajla and the establishment of direct flights connecting the occupied city with Madrid via Ryanair and Paris via Transavia. He argued that such actions represent an open complicity of multinational corporations in the theft of resources and pose a direct challenge to European justice, which deems any economic activity without the consent of the Sahrawi people as null and void.
Urbán also recalled the illegal pressures within the European Parliament, referencing the scandal known as "Moroccogate" from 2022, which involved the creation of influence networks favoring Rabat and led to the obstruction of Sahrawi activist Sultana Jaya's access to the Sakharov Prize. He concluded by emphasizing the necessity to continue the political and legal struggle to dismantle Moroccan influence and corruption networks within European institutions, while advocating for the respect of the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination and full sovereignty over their land and resources.
As reported by spsrasd.info.
