English
The United Nations has formally closed its 35-year peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara, ending operations on Sunday after a diplomatic deadlock between the United States and Russia prevented any agreement on the territory’s future. The closure of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara, known as MINURSO, raises serious concerns about regional stability in one of Africa’s most contested territories.
A Deadlock at the Security Council
The mission’s end came after competing resolutions collapsed at the UN Security Council on Friday. Russia vetoed a US-drafted resolution that backed Morocco’s claim to sovereignty over Western Sahara and proposed ending the mission in 2027. A rival Russian resolution to extend MINURSO then also failed to pass. The resulting deadlock left the mission without a renewed mandate.
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UN Secretary-General spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric confirmed the outcome in a statement. “This 1 November 2026 marks the start of the liquidation period,” he said. A smaller team will oversee the return of equipment to troop-contributing countries and the proper disposal of UN assets.
A Territory Long in Dispute
Western Sahara is a vast desert region along Africa’s northwestern Atlantic coast, roughly the size of Colorado. Rich in minerals and fisheries, it was formerly ruled by Spain. Morocco annexed the territory in 1975, triggering an armed conflict that lasted more than 15 years and claimed over 16,000 lives, according to the French Senate.
A UN-brokered ceasefire took effect in 1991, and MINURSO was established to organize a self-determination referendum. However, that vote never took place. Morocco wanted the voter list to include Sahrawis living under its control, while the Polisario Front insisted on using Spain’s colonial census. The two sides never resolved the dispute.
Morocco currently administers nearly all of the territory. A narrow strip east of a Moroccan-built sand wall, known as the “free zone,” remains outside its control. The UN classifies Western Sahara as a “non-self-governing territory.” Critics of Moroccan control call it Africa’s last colony.
Divided Reactions
Morocco’s royal palace welcomed the mission’s closure, describing MINURSO as an instrument used to internationalize the dispute. Morocco, which counts Washington, Paris and London among its supporters, refers to Western Sahara as its southern provinces.
In contrast, the Polisario Front called the decision “unacceptable.” Algeria, which arms, funds and hosts the movement at refugee camps near the city of Tindouf, said it “profoundly regrets” the non-renewal and criticized what it called the “excessive bias” of the US resolution. Algeria and Morocco severed diplomatic relations in 2021, and analysts warn the mission’s end could further strain ties and accelerate an arms race.
The Polisario withdrew from the 1991 ceasefire in 2020 after clashes along the border. Since then, low-intensity hostilities have continued. As MINURSO closes, Dujarric said the Secretary-General “calls upon all parties to respect and promote the rights of the people of Western Sahara” and urges all sides to “exercise maximum restraint.” MINURSO had a budget of over $62 million and was authorized for 534 personnel, with Egypt, Ghana and Pakistan as its top military contributors. Twenty mission personnel lost their lives during its 35 years of operation.
