Kerr-McGee, the only remaining oil company operating on a Moroccan contract in occupied Western Sahara, is under strong pressure to follow three other companies that have left the territory, or face major divestments.
The city of Dakhla, the second largest in Moroccan occupied Western Sahara, this week has experienced new protest actions against the "Moroccan colonial policy". Equally, pro-Saharawi groups in the south of Morocco have staged similar protests during several months.
Just two weeks ago, the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the United States and Morocco completed its last hurdle - approval by the Moroccan legislature. Today, the Moroccan Ambassador to the US, Aziz Mekouar, leads a delegation to Houston (Texas, US) to meet with business and industry leaders to promote the agreement.