The UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (Minurso) has entered a liquidation period after its mandate expired on 31 October. The Security Council did not agree on either of two proposals to extend the mission, ending a peacekeeping operation that had been in place for 35 years.
The United States proposed a one-year extension that would have removed “referendum” from the mission’s name and made Morocco’s autonomy plan the basis for future negotiations. Eleven of the council’s 15 members supported the draft, but Russia vetoed it, saying it favoured Morocco. A Russian proposal to extend Minurso without changing its mandate received only two votes in favour.
Minurso was established after Morocco and the Polisario Front agreed to a UN-brokered ceasefire in 1991. Its tasks included monitoring the truce and organising a referendum in which Sahrawis could choose between independence and integration with Morocco. The vote, originally scheduled for 1992, never took place because the parties could not agree on who would be eligible to participate.
The dispute remains unresolved. Morocco claims Western Sahara as part of its territory, while the Polisario Front seeks independence. Morocco’s 2007 autonomy proposal would give Sahrawis control over internal affairs while Rabat retained responsibility for defence and foreign relations. The Polisario Front and Algeria reject the plan and call for a referendum that includes independence as an option.
Morocco’s royal palace welcomed Minurso’s closure. In Laayoune, the territory’s largest city, people were seen celebrating and waving Moroccan flags. Moroccan officials have argued that the dispute should no longer be handled by the Security Council. The decision gives Rabat an opening to press for negotiations centred on autonomy, but it does not alter Western Sahara’s legal status or amount to international recognition of Moroccan sovereignty. The territory remains on the UN list of non-self-governing territories.
The mission’s departure has raised concerns about security. Minurso monitored military developments and helped reduce the risk of escalation. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination must be respected and warned of the possibility of renewed hostilities. Oxfam also cautioned that losing the mission’s monitoring and de-escalation role could harm stability and civilians.
The ceasefire broke down in November 2020, when the Polisario Front said it was resuming armed struggle. Morocco’s foreign minister has said the end of Minurso does not mean the ceasefire has ended and that Rabat remains committed to it, subject to its security and sovereignty. The Polisario Front has not announced its next steps.
Sources: BBC News World.