U.N. Mission in Western Sahara Ends After Security Council Standoff
A 35-year peacekeeping effort ceased operations on November 1 following a Russian veto of a U.S. draft resolution, leaving the disputed desert territory without international monitoring.
By Malik Salazar ·
The United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara, known as MINURSO, stopped operating on November 1, 2026, concluding a 35-year presence in the disputed desert territory. The abrupt exit followed a deadlock at the U.N. Security Council where Russia blocked a U.S. proposal to end the mission on a fixed timeline.
The voting sequence on Friday left the mission without a renewed mandate. Russia vetoed a draft resolution supporting Morocco's sovereignty claim, which would have scheduled the mission's termination for next year. A subsequent Russian draft aimed at extending the mission was then rejected. U.N. spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric announced that the start of the liquidation period began on November 1.
A smaller team now reports to the United Nations Department of Operational Support. This group will manage the transport of equipment back to troop-contributing nations and handle the disposal of U.N. assets. The force was authorized for 534 personnel, with Egypt, Ghana, and Pakistan serving as the primary military contributors. The 2026-2027 budget for the operation exceeded $62 million.
Western Sahara, a territory roughly the size of Colorado, has been the subject of Africa's longest-running territorial dispute. Morocco controls most of the land, including areas east of a sand wall, while the Polisario Front controls a narrow strip known as the free zone. Morocco administers the region as its southern provinces, a policy backed by Washington, Paris, and London.
The Polisario Front, which seeks independence for the Sahrawi people, operates from refugee camps in Tindouf, Algeria. Algeria, the movement's main backer, called the non-renewal of the mandate an unacceptable decision. The Algerian foreign ministry criticized the U.S. draft for what it termed excessive bias. Morocco's royal palace described the mission as a tool to internationalize the dispute.
The U.N. originally established MINURSO in 1991 to oversee a cease-fire and a referendum on self-determination. That vote never took place due to disagreements over voter eligibility lists. Morocco wanted to include residents of the territory, while the Polisario Front argued for using Spain's colonial census to prevent a skewed outcome.
Tensions have risen since the Polisario Front withdrew from the cease-fire in 2020. The U.N. reported low-intensity hostilities in the region last month. The secretary-general expressed concern about the security situation and called for maximum restraint. Morocco and Algeria severed diplomatic ties in 2021, and the end of the peacekeeping mission has raised fears of further strain in their relationship.
