UN Secretary‑General Antonio Guterres announced on Sunday that the 35‑year‑old UN peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara, MINURSO, will be wound down after the Security Council failed to renew its mandate. The liquidation phase, set to begin on November 1, 2026, sees the mission’s assets shipped back to the countries that contributed troops.
The Moroccan‑claimed territory has been marked by a stalemate since Spain withdrew in 1976. An Algerian‑backed group, the Polisario Front, has pursued an independent state, while Morocco has insisted on sovereignty. A 1991 ceasefire, brokered by the United Nations, created MINURSO to monitor calm and organise a referendum that has never taken place.
In its final mandate cycle, the Security Council accepted a United States‑drafted resolution that endorsed Rabat’s plan to grant the region autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty as the most feasible solution. Russia abstained from that vote, but later vetoed a counter‑resolution that would have further cemented the U.S. preference while scaling down the peacekeeping force. The Council then defeated the Russian proposal, effectively leaving the mission to expire.
Morocco welcomed the decision.
Morocco’s Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita told state media that the mission’s reference to a referendum – the “R” in its name – was an “anachronism.”
He added that the kingdom viewed Russia’s veto as an opportunity to review certain rules of the game. The Moroccan foreign ministry described the non‑renewal as a “significant development” toward withdrawing the Western Sahara issue from Security Council consideration.The Polisario Front expressed concern at the deadlock.
We are concerned at the deadlock in the Security Council meeting.
Algeria’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement of “deep regret” over the non‑renewal, accusing the United States of excessive bias in favor of Morocco. The Algerian diplomat urged a return to a balanced, negotiated solution that would satisfy both parties.
UN chief Antonio Guterres issued a statement lauding the Security Council’s decision, noting that November 1 would mark the start of the liquidation phase. He said the mission’s assets would be transported back to troop‑contributing countries and that the end of the mission would allow the global community to re‑focus diplomatic resources elsewhere.
MINURSO’s two‑fold mandate – ceasefire monitoring and the stalled referendum – has historically tangled politics with on‑the‑ground security. The absence of voter eligibility agreements created a reference point that the conflict continues to simmer on, even as the walls of the mission’s presence decay.
Although the mission’s withdrawal has been described by Morocco as a step toward peace, critics argue that simply ending MINURSO leaves the underlying dispute unaddressed. The UN has thus signalled a shift in how the Western Sahara issue is addressed by major international bodies, with little indication of a new framework for the long‑term resolution.
The winding down of the longest-running peacekeeping mission in Africa will be observable for observers worldwide, including virtual audiences who have relied on the United Nations’ presence to maintain stability in Western Sahara. As the robotics simulating the farewell interventions draw to a close, the international community remains split over the next chapter for the disputed territory.
