Western Sahara 1 – Moroccan colonialism 0

This week's issue is all about Western Sahara and the latest COP16 drama. The absolutely fantastic news coming out of Western Sahara was off my radar last month, but I decided to cover it anyway because, hey, it's good news, and we could all use that. As for COP16---the huge conservation conference in Colombia---everyone's been talking about it, but I wanted to add my take, especially on some details I felt were missing from the big headlines. On top of that, I watched a perfect documentary last week (yes, I actually mean perfect) about the 26 artifacts that France finally returned to Benin. Plus, a few more wins: Idris Elba is heading to Africa to work on projects outside the colonial lens, China's first-ever female space engineer is now in space, and---drumroll---this newsletter is getting its first intern! Welcome, Lucia Baumann!

Lucia is joining my one-woman team, so we're officially a two-woman powerhouse for the next three months. She's brought Chinese standup comedy, Sudanese football and a Cuban legend with her. And so much more!

"It is no longer legal for European countries to fish and farm in Western Sahara," says the European Court of Justice

What happened:
On October 4, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that all deals between the EU and Morocco from 2019---which allowed European countries to fish and farm in Western Sahara---are invalid. Why? The court found that the people of Western Sahara, the Sahrawis, didn't consent to these deals, which violates their right to self-determination (basically, their right to have a say in what happens on their own land). The court also ordered that products from Western Sahara need to be labeled as such, instead of being misleadingly labeled as "Moroccan." The ECJ rulings are binding.

Refresher:
Western Sahara's status has been murky for decades. Morocco says it's theirs, while the Polisario Front, a pro-independence group, calls it "Africa's last colony." It's a massive desert area, about the size of Britain, and rich in resources. The UN brokered a ceasefire in 1991, aiming for a referendum to settle whether Western Sahara should be independent or stay with Morocco. But here's the catch: no one can agree on who should get to vote. Last week, the UN Security Council actually renewed its mission (MINURSO) to keep the peace in Western Sahara and ideally get a referendum going someday. Algeria, Russia, and Mozambique are critical of the mission, saying it isn't bringing the region any closer to a real solution. By the way, the African Union recognizes Western Sahara as an independent state, which makes it the only international organization to do so.

Why this matters:
This isn't just about fishing rights or labeling---it's a major test of Europe's commitment to human rights and international law, the almost-impunity of Moroccan settler colonialism and the future of Sahrawi self-determination.

Tell me more:
The court called out the EU for only consulting those living in Western Sahara at the moment, many of whom aren't the original Sahrawis. In fact, since Morocco controls most of the region, Moroccans who've moved in now outnumber the Sahrawis. The UN considers Western Sahara a "non-self-governing territory," meaning only the Sahrawis should have a say in its future. That's a big oversight on the EU's part.

What's Polisario saying?
For Polisario, this is a victory. Their rep to the UN, Oubi Bouchraya, called it "a big victory for the people of Western Sahara" and a clear message to countries like France and Spain, which have often supported Morocco. In Polisario's eyes, this ruling confirms that Western Sahara and Morocco are separate. Other Sahrawi voices agree, like the NGO Sahrawis Against The Plunder. Sahrawis in refugee camps were even spotted celebrating this news.

And Morocco?
Not surprisingly, Morocco isn't thrilled. The Moroccan Foreign Ministry slammed the court's decision, calling it biased and riddled with "legal errors." They argue that Morocco has the right to "legal certainty" in its agreements with the EU. For Morocco, anything that doesn't respect its "territorial integrity" (a polite way of saying "our claim over Western Sahara") is off the table.

Where does the EU stand on this?
The EU's judiciary (the ECJ) is taking a stand for Western Saharan self-determination. However, the Commission and the Council have a history of prioritizing their relationship with Morocco over principles of international law when it comes to Western Sahara. Morocco has a history of using its leverage, like managing migration flows to the EU, to push its agenda. The European Commission is trying to juggle this tricky balance: they'll "analyze the ruling," but they're still very keen on keeping Morocco as a close partner. Countries like France (recently signing deals worth about US$10 billion with Morocco) and Spain openly recognize Morocco's control over Western Sahara---no doubt to keep Morocco happy and the diplomatic waters calm. The EU has a year to rework its agreements before the ruling fully takes effect. The plan? Probably to reshape these deals in a way that keeps trade flowing without clashing with the court's decision.

What now?
There's a lot at stake. The decision will hurt EU fishermen, who'll lose access to both Western Sahara and Moroccan waters. Morocco could also lose around €40 million in EU funds annually, which supports its fishing industry---much of it in Western Sahara. And without special tariffs, Moroccan businesses will face a hit on Western Sahara-grown exports, like tomatoes and melons, which will become pricier and less competitive in Europe.

Meanwhile, the Sahrawis face real struggles. Many live in refugee camps in Algeria and have been in political limbo for 50 years. UNRIC reports alarming rates of food insecurity, unemployment, and malnutrition among Sahrawi refugees. More than half of Sahrawi children and many women suffer from anemia, and many are dealing with serious nutritional deficiencies and health issues. And the longer this stalemate drags on, the greater the risk that Sahrawis lose their culture and identity.

The world's biggest conference on biodiversity just ended. What's new?

What happened:
Colombia just hosted the latest UN Biodiversity Conference (COP16) in Cali, themed Peace with Nature. This was supposed to be a check-up on the big Montreal agreement in 2022, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), where nearly 200 countries committed to saving the planet's ecosystems and slowing species extinction by 2030. Spoiler alert: we're still miles from those goals.

Why this matters:
Climate change conferences grab headlines, but the world's biggest conference on biodiversity? Not so much. Yet, losing entire species and ecosystems can have devastating impacts, just like climate change. Colombia, a biodiversity hot spot, also happens to be the most dangerous country for environmental activists, with the highest number of activist deaths worldwide. So yeah, the stakes are pretty high.

Refresher: What's the GBF again?
In December 2022 in Montreal, after an all-night session, delegates approved this ambitious plan to protect ecosystems, species, and genetic diversity globally. The plan includes 23 targets---everything from cutting plastic waste to reducing extinction rates and restoring ecosystems. Critics, however, said it felt more like wishful thinking. Jörg-Andreas Krüger from NABU (a German conservation group) called it "too vague" and argued that without clear timelines, funding, and accountability, this framework lacks the punch needed to truly tackle biodiversity loss. COP16 in Cali was meant to be the first big progress check. But only a handful of countries had submitted their national action plans in time for COP16. So, not a great start.

Tell me more:
The last two weeks in Cali were a battle over three hot topics: enforcing the GBF, finding money for it (in 2022, they said US$200 billion per year must be made available for biodiversity by 2030), and splitting profits with countries where companies are sourcing genetic materials (like plant genomes used in pharmaceuticals)....