The UN Security Council was unable to reach agreement on extending the mandate of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (Minurso), resulting in the mission’s termination. The United States proposed a renewal that would have removed references to a referendum and positioned Morocco’s autonomy proposal as the primary basis for negotiations, securing support from 11 of the 15 council members. Russia vetoed the proposal, contending it was biased in Morocco’s favor. A subsequent Russian draft to extend the mission under existing terms also failed to gain sufficient support. With no agreement reached, Minurso’s mandate expired at the end of last month, and the UN subsequently entered a liquidation phase with a reduced team managing the transfer of military assets.
The dispute over Western Sahara traces back to Spain’s 1975 withdrawal from the territory. Morocco claimed the northern portion while Mauritania claimed the south, following a mass civilian demonstration organized by Morocco’s then-King Hassan II known as the Green March. Mauritania later renounced its claim in 1979, but Morocco maintained its position. The Polisario Front, an independence movement founded in 1973, opposed Moroccan control and has pursued an armed struggle with support from Algeria. After 16 years of conflict, the parties agreed to a UN-brokered ceasefire in 1991, with Minurso established to monitor it and organize a referendum on the territory’s future.
The scheduled 1992 referendum never occurred due to disagreements over voter eligibility and identification procedures. Morocco subsequently proposed an autonomy arrangement under which the territory would manage internal affairs while Morocco retained control over defense and foreign policy. The Polisario Front and Algeria rejected this proposal, insisting on a referendum that included independence as an option. The ceasefire fractured in November 2020 when Polisario announced a resumption of armed conflict. In 2025, the Security Council voted to support Morocco’s autonomy proposal as the most feasible solution.
Morocco celebrated the termination of Minurso, with celebrations occurring in Laayoune, the territory’s largest city. Morocco argued that the mission had become ineffective and called for the removal of personnel and equipment. The Polisario Front opposed the US proposal to modify Minurso’s mandate, and its representative expressed appreciation for Russia’s veto. UN Secretary-General António Guterres cautioned that the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination must be upheld and warned of potential renewed conflict. Western Sahara remains on the UN’s list of non-self-governing territories, and the African Union recognizes the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, though the territory’s legal status and sovereignty questions remain unresolved.
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