The United Nations' long-running peacekeeping mission for the disputed Western Sahara officially ceased operations on Sunday, November 1, 2026, marking the end of a 35-year effort to resolve the conflict. The abrupt termination of the mandate resulted from a standoff between the United States and Russia at U.N. headquarters regarding the territory's future. In the Security Council, Russia vetoed a draft U.S. resolution that would have supported Morocco's sovereignty claims and scheduled the mission's end for next year. Subsequently, a rival Russian proposal to extend the mission was also voted down, leading to the immediate expiration of the force's authority.
Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the U.N. secretary general, confirmed that November 1 marks the beginning of the liquidation period. A smaller team reporting to the Department of Operational Support will now oversee the orderly transportation of assets belonging to troop-contributing countries and the disposal of United Nations equipment. The mission, known as MINURSO, was established in 1991 following a U.N.-brokered ceasefire intended to pave the way for a referendum on self-determination. However, the vote never materialized due to disagreements over voter eligibility between Morocco and the pro-independence Polisario Front.
The end of the mission has elicited sharply contrasting reactions from the primary parties involved. Morocco's royal palace welcomed the non-renewal, characterizing the mission as an instrument used to internationalize the dispute. Conversely, the Polisario Front, backed by Algeria, labeled the decision unacceptable. The Algerian foreign ministry expressed profound regret over the outcome and criticized what it described as excessive bias in the U.S. draft resolution.
Western Sahara, a vast desert territory roughly the size of Colorado along Africa's northwestern Atlantic coast, is rich in minerals and fisheries. Once ruled by Spain, it remains claimed by both Morocco and the Polisario Front. Morocco administers nearly all of the territory except for a narrow strip east of a sand wall known as the "free zone." The dispute has been a central objective of Moroccan foreign policy for decades, with Rabat securing backing from Western capitals including Washington, Paris, and London. The Polisario Front, operating from refugee camps in Tindouf, Algeria, seeks to establish an independent Sahrawi Republic but has seen its international support dwindle in recent years.
The conflict has deep historical roots; after Morocco annexed the territory in 1975, an armed conflict ensued that lasted more than 15 years and claimed over 16,000 lives according to the French Senate. Although a ceasefire took effect in 1991, tensions have persisted. The Polisario withdrew from the ceasefire in 2020 following clashes, and the territory has since remained a scene of low-intensity hostilities. During its 35-year existence, twenty MINURSO personnel lost their lives. The force was authorized to have 534 personnel with a 2026-2027 budget exceeding $62 million, with Egypt, Ghana, and Pakistan serving as the top military contributors.
As the mission concludes, the U.N. secretary general has called upon all parties to respect the rights of the people of Western Sahara and exercise maximum restraint amid concerns over security and the risk of escalated hostilities. The territory remains a major flashpoint in the rivalry between regional heavyweights Morocco and Algeria. Algiers, which arms, funds, and hosts the Polisario Front, views full Moroccan sovereignty as a significant diplomatic defeat. With diplomatic relations severed in 2021, the end of the U.N. mission risks further straining ties between the two nations and potentially fueling an arms race.
Sources: NPR News.