French firm stands firm against pro-Polisario NGO pressure in Sahara

The French company Engie is under scrutiny from Western Sahara Resource Watch (WSRW), an NGO closely linked to the Polisario. The energy firm is accused of refusing to disclose details of an agreement signed in October 2024 in Rabat during French President Emmanuel Macron’s state visit to Morocco. The agreement, concluded with the OCP Group, involves the execution of major industrial projects in the country.

The NGO suspects Engie of committing to a green hydrogen and ammonia production unit in Western Sahara. When contacted by WSRW via email on February 14, 2025, Engie chose not to respond to the NGO’s request for «clarifications» regarding its partnership with the Moroccan group.

However, WSRW appears to be conducting a selective campaign, remaining silent on the involvement of two Chinese companies, UEG and China Three Gorges, which were among the international consortia selected by the Moroccan government on March 6 to develop ammonia production units in Western Sahara.

As a reminder, on December 5, 2022, before King Mohammed VI, the CEO of OCP presented the group's 130 billion dirham investment plan for 2023-2027. This program aims to expand fertilizer and phosphate rock production while achieving carbon neutrality by 2040. It includes major investments in the Sahara, particularly along the Tarfaya-Boucraa-Laayoune axis, to develop green ammonia production—a key input for fertilizers, of which OCP is the world's largest importer.