DZWatch Exclusive: The Polisario Front has sharply criticized Spain and announced a renewed legal challenge against the European Union, signaling a significant escalation in tensions over the Western Sahara.
The move comes shortly after a high-level summit between Madrid and Rabat. Brahim Ghali, President of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic and Secretary-General of the Polisario Front, urged the EU to cease its “shameful evasion” of court rulings and called on the Spanish government to uphold its responsibilities as the administering power of the territory, condemning what he termed a “humiliating submission to Moroccan blackmail.”
Ghali’s statements coincided with the EU’s move towards the provisional application of a revised trade agreement with Morocco, granting preferential customs treatment to products originating from Western Sahara. The Polisario Front is preparing a fresh legal battle against this agreement.
In October 2024, the European Court of Justice annulled an agricultural agreement between Rabat and Brussels due to the lack of consent from the Sahrawi people. However, EU member states subsequently adopted a modified version through a written vote, bypassing parliamentary debate, maintaining trade privileges while attempting to circumvent labeling requirements for Sahrawi products.
Ghali directly criticized the Spanish government, reminding it of its role as the “administering power” and denouncing what he described as a “blatant bias towards Morocco’s expansionist and ambitious policies.” He argued that this stance poses a threat to all of Morocco’s neighbors, including Spain itself.
Abi Bachraya, Special Advisor to the Secretary-General of the Polisario Front on Natural Resources and Legal Affairs, confirmed that the movement will file a new appeal before the General Court of the European Union this month, focusing on the provisional application of the amended agreement. He described the negotiation process as “incomprehensible,” noting that the Commission obtained approval on September 10 and confirmed the agreement on September 15, within just five days.
DZWatch will continue to monitor this developing situation.
