Shaheed El Hafed, 19 September 2026 (SPS) – Mr. Ghaithi Ennah, Director of Operations at the Sahrawi Coordination Office for Mine Action(SMACO), said that the impacts of the Moroccan military wall, landmines and explosive remnants of war in Western Sahara go beyond threatening the lives of civilians, extending to environmental contamination, disruption of natural ecosystems and threats to the livelihoods of populations in affected areas.
He made the remarks today, Saturday, during his presentation at the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as part of a conference dedicated to presenting the new report of the Sahrawi Observatory for Natural Resources and Environmental Protection, entitled “Plunder Footprint: The Environmental Cost of Natural Resource Exploitation in Western Sahara.” The seminar was attended by researchers, experts, representatives of international institutions and organizations, civil society representatives and media professionals.
Mr. Ghaithi Ennah explained that the Moroccan military wall has caused deep fragmentation of the natural environment by cutting across the courses of valleys and floodwaters and obstructing the movement of animals. He noted that the wall cuts across the routes and directions of dozens of valleys and encompasses hundreds of wells and water sources, affecting water flows and the natural systems associated with them.
He added that landmines and explosive remnants of war also pose a continuing danger that threatens not only human beings but also animals and the environment, particularly as these remnants can be displaced by rainfall, floods, winds and erosion. This can result in hazards being transferred to new areas and make efforts to address them more difficult.
He pointed out that the military environment imposed by the wall, together with the landmines and explosive remnants of war associated with it, has affected more than the natural environment. It has also contributed to the displacement of hundreds of families from their original areas of residence and prevented populations from accessing parts of their land, water sources and traditional grazing and livelihood areas.
The speaker stressed that addressing this issue requires an integrated approach combining mine clearance, mine-risk education, victim assistance and monitoring of environmental impacts, alongside strengthened international and humanitarian cooperation to protect populations and the environment in affected areas.
He emphasized that mine clearance is not only a matter of protecting human life, but also of protecting the land and the environment and safeguarding the right of future generations to live in safe areas. He highlighted the need to incorporate environmental considerations into mine-action programmes and efforts to address explosive remnants of war.
In this context, Ghaithi Ennah said that, in addition to being a physical barrier dividing the natural environment, the military wall constitutes a framework that conceals and isolates many violations related to human rights and the exploitation of natural resources in the part of Western Sahara under Moroccan occupation. He stressed that addressing its environmental and humanitarian impacts should therefore form part of a broader approach to protecting populations, resources and ecosystems.
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