The United Nations has ordered the dismantling of its Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara, known as Minurso, after its latest annual mandate expired at midnight on Saturday. The decision followed a Security Council vote on Friday in which opposing US and Russian vetoes blocked its renewal.
The UN said a liquidation period would now begin, with a reduced team overseeing the orderly withdrawal of personnel and equipment. Secretary-General António Guterres has asked the parties to cooperate and complete the process as quickly and smoothly as possible. He has also warned of a risk of renewed hostilities while leaving open the possibility of UN mediation for a political solution that is “just, lasting and mutually acceptable” and respects the right of the people of Western Sahara to self-determination.
The resolution backed by Washington received 11 votes in favour and three abstentions, but was ultimately blocked by the vetoes. The departure of UN observers raises concerns about a further deterioration in relations between Morocco, which effectively controls around 80% of the territory, and the Polisario Front, which seeks independence. Their ceasefire, agreed 35 years ago, collapsed in 2020, shortly before the United States recognised Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara.
Created in 1991 to organise a referendum, Minurso gradually became an observer mission after disagreements over the electoral register made the vote unattainable. It also continued monitoring a low-intensity conflict on both sides of a roughly 2,700-kilometre sand and earth wall dividing the territory. The mission had about 500 members three years ago—around 300 civilians and 200 unarmed military personnel—but its staffing had been significantly reduced since 2025.
A UN official previously described the mission as an early-warning presence, noting that it was the only international body permanently able to observe developments in the territory. The official referred to incidents along the wall and drone attacks since the 2020 collapse of the ceasefire. No other UN agencies, international media outlets or NGOs operate permanently in Western Sahara, according to the recovered report.
Moroccan media estimate that the withdrawal could be completed within a month, citing the precedent of the UN observer mission in Georgia, which ended after a Russian veto in 2009. Rabat has said it wants the Western Sahara issue removed from the Security Council and other UN bodies and redirected towards bilateral and regional agreements.
A statement from Morocco’s Royal Palace described the end of Minurso as the closing of a 35-year chapter and said the mission had become an instrument for internationalising a regional dispute. At the same time, Morocco reiterated its commitment to the 1991 ceasefire, subject to what it called respect for its territorial integrity and national security.
The Polisario Front has rejected any move that removes self-determination from the negotiating framework. Its UN representative, Sidi Mohamed Omar, called that right a non-negotiable red line and warned of serious consequences for regional peace and security from any unilateral Moroccan action. Western Sahara remains on the UN list of non-self-governing territories.
Morocco’s two parliamentary chambers are due to meet jointly on Monday to discuss the political response to the mission’s extinction. The withdrawal could also widen Moroccan military operations responding to Polisario attacks, according to a source familiar with the situation cited in El Aaiún. Until now, both sides have formally avoided entering security areas patrolled by Minurso, making the mission’s departure a potential new turning point in the conflict.
Sources: El País Internacional.