The Casablanca Commercial Court has issued a definitive ruling extending the authorization for continued operations at the SAMIR oil refinery for an additional three months. The refinery has been under judicial liquidation since March 2016 due to mounting debts.
In its ruling, issued Thursday under decision number 19, the court reaffirmed its aim to preserve the refinery’s assets as a whole, maintain existing contracts—including employment agreements for permanent workers—and facilitate a potential judicial transfer to new ownership.
Houcine El Yamani, head of the National Front for the Rescue of SAMIR, emphasized that this legal development provides a framework to keep the refinery operational, protect creditors’ interests and workers’ rights, and safeguard the public interest linked to the company’s activities.
The decision follows a formal request filed on January 10, 2025, under the court’s business difficulties division. The case has gained international significance, particularly after the conclusion of an international arbitration dispute between the Moroccan government and Saudi businessman Mohammed Al Amoudi, the former majority shareholder of SAMIR.
El Yamani questioned the Moroccan government’s reluctance to intervene in rescuing the refinery, stating: “If the government previously justified its inaction by citing the ongoing arbitration process, what is its excuse now that the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes has ruled on the matter?” He further argued that continued governmental inaction constitutes an ongoing “crime against the public interest” by wasting national resources.
As secretary-general of the National Union of Petroleum and Gas Industries under the Democratic Confederation of Labor, El Yamani reiterated the urgent need for Morocco to secure its petroleum supply, which accounts for more than half of the country’s energy mix. He advocated for reviving SAMIR through privatization, state ownership, or a mixed-economy model to enhance competition in the domestic market.
In late December 2024, the unified union office at SAMIR reaffirmed its commitment to resuming refining operations at the Mohammedia refinery without further delays. It urged the Moroccan government to abandon its passive stance and take decisive action, including acquiring the refinery through a debt-for-equity swap in favor of the state.
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