UN confirms Western Sahara peacekeeping mission ends after 35 years
The Security Council failed to renew the mandate for MINURSO, ending a presence that has monitored the region since 1991.
By Yasmin Nasser ·
The United Nations will conclude its peacekeeping operations in the Western Sahara following the Security Council's failure to extend the mission's mandate. Secretary General Antonio Guterres announced on Sunday that the 35-year deployment of MINURSO is now entering its liquidation phase. Assets and personnel will be transported back to their home countries beginning November 1.
The mission was established in 1991 to monitor a UN-brokered ceasefire. Its original mandate included organizing a referendum on the territory's status, but that vote never occurred due to persistent disagreements over voter eligibility. The end of the mission follows a procedural impasse in the Security Council this year.
In the previous year, the Council adopted a US-drafted resolution that accepted Morocco's plan for autonomy under its sovereignty as the most feasible solution. This year, Russia vetoed a new US-backed resolution intended to solidify that preference while reducing the peacekeeping force. The Council subsequently rejected a competing Russian resolution, leaving the existing mandate to expire without renewal.
Morocco, which claims the territory, welcomed the outcome. Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita told state media that the reference to a referendum in the mission's name was an anachronism. He noted that Rabat was informed of the Russian veto and viewed the situation as a chance to review the rules of engagement. The Moroccan royal palace described the non-renewal as a significant step toward removing the issue from the Security Council's agenda.
The Polisario Front, an Algeria-backed group seeking independence since Spain left in 1976, expressed concern over the deadlock. In a statement, the group cited the stalemate in the Security Council meeting. Algeria's Foreign Ministry voiced deep regret on Saturday, blaming the excessive bias of the United States toward the Moroccan position.
The liquidation phase begins immediately. Troop-contributing countries will receive their assets as the mission winds down its final operations in the region.
