African leaders urge the EP to reject EU-Morocco Fisheries Protocol

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In a letter addressed to the president of the EP, Martin Schulz, the president of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), H.E Hon. Bethel Nnaemeka Amadi claims that such protocol incurs in violation of the Sahrawi people's basic human rights as well as their right to self-determination.

PAP president remarked the approval of a protocol "will be tantamount to rewarding Morocco for its unabated violation of the basic human rights of the Sahrawi people, which have been documented by major international and African human rights organisations."

Amadi also pointed out the document may be legitimising the Moroccan occupation of the Western Sahara when the International Court of Justice determined in 1975 that that territory was independent and granted it the category of self-determination through their inhabitants' will and the United Nations, the African Union and all UN Member States have never recognized Morocco's occupation of the area.

PAP president's appeal to stop the the fisheries agreement with Morocco has been widely supported by certain sectors.

Algiers-Sahrawi Minister of Cooperation, Brahim Mokhtar appealed to the UN to stop the agreement, claiming that if it is settled, Moroccans will be plundering natural resources in the territory for USD 4.5 billion per year when it belongs to Sahrawi wealth, Algeria Press Service reported.

In a report published this week, Greenpeace denounced EU fishing vessels are devastating West African fish stocks and undermining the rights of local people, claiming the EU must "stop exploiting the fishing grounds off the coast of Western Sahara and Morocco, unless and until it can ensure that fish stocks are managed in a sustainable manner and that the fishery takes into account the wishes and benefits of the people of the territory".