UN Peacekeeping Mission in Western Sahara Ends After 35 Years

On November 1, 2026, the United Nations will begin liquidating MINURSO, the 35‑year peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara, after the Security Council refused to renew its mandate, UN Secretary‑Secretary Antonio Guterres said in a statement released Sunday.

Guterres announced that the liquidation phase will see the mission’s assets returned to troop‑contributing countries, marking the formal conclusion of the mission that has monitored a freeze‑out de‑facto since a 1991 ceasefire brokered by the UN.

The mission, officially called the Unified Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara and abbreviated MINURSO, was tasked not only with monitoring the ceasefire but also with organizing a referendum that has never taken place, as Russia’s veto of a counter‑resolution left the mission lacking a new mandate.

For 35 years, MINURSO functions have become a symbol of the stalled negotiations over the territory that Spain abandoned in 1976, after which the country’s leftover colony became the focus of a dispute between Morocco, which seeks to incorporate the region, and the Polisario Front, which demands independence and is supported by Algeria.

Background

Negotiations over Western Sahara have been interrupted multiple times, but the 1991 ceasefire laid the groundwork for MINURSO’s establishment, with the UN commission intended to prepare for a referendum on self‑determination. However, a disagreement over eligibility criteria for voters has kept the referendum from ever being held.

In 2025, a U.S.‑drafted Security Council resolution adopted the Moroccan proposal of autonomous governance within Moroccan sovereignty as the “most feasible” solution, a position that at the time was deemed a potential roadmap for ending the conflict. The resolution was supported by the majority of Council members, except Russia, which abstained.

In the following year, Russia vetoed a counter‑resolution that would have formally cemented the UN’s preference for the Moroccan plan and reduced the size of MINURSO, while a competing Russian draft was defeated, leaving the mission without a renewed mandate.

Morocco’s foreign minister, Nasser Bourita, told state media that the mission’s reference to a referendum – the “R” in its name – was an “anachronism,” noting that the reference was no longer relevant after the adoption of the autonomy proposal.

the mission’s reference to a referendum – the “R” in its name – was an “anachronism”.

Bourita also said in a separate statement that Russia’s veto of the resolution was seen by Rabat as an “opportunity to review certain rules of the game”.1

The Moroccan royal palace declared that the non‑renewal of the mission was a “significant development” toward withdrawing the Western Sahara issue from Security Council consideration, signaling the king’s supportive stance toward the autonomy plan.

significant development.

In contrast, the Algerian foreign ministry expressed “deep regret” over the decision to let the mission lapse, accusing the United States of “excessive bias” toward Morocco’s position and of steering the UN away from a neutral mediation role.

deep regret.

Following the disclosure of the decision, the Polisario Front issued a statement saying it was “concerned at the deadlock in the Security Council meeting,” underscoring its frustration that its core aim—a referendum on independence—remains unaddressed.

concerned at the deadlock in the Security Council meeting.

Reactions and Open Questions

Morocco’s approval of the mission’s closure reflects its belief that the autonomy proposal constitutes a long‑term peace framework, even as it signals a formal retreat of international monitoring.

Polisario’s anxiety that the re‑emergence of a referendum is unlikely has brought renewed attention to several unresolved issues, including the eligibility of voters and the lack of an adjudicating body to determine who may participate.

Algeria’s reaction highlights a broader geopolitical fault line, with Moscow’s veto of the counter‑resolution reflecting its broader scepticism of U.S. influence in the region, while Morocco’s stance underscores its expectation that the autonomy framework will bring “stability” and an eventual integration of the territory.

Analysts note that the decision to wind down MINURSO may increase the risk of instability, as the region had, since 2000, experienced intermittent violence between Moroccan forces and the Polisario Front, though both sides have largely avoided major fighting since the 1991 ceasefire. The absence of International Monitoring Forces leaves a vacuum in a territory that remains a flashpoint for regional dissent and cross‑border tensions.

The future of the referendum remains uncertain. While the UN Security Council has failed to agree on a viable mechanism for resolving voter eligibility, the ongoing diplomatic flurry suggests that alternatives—such as a UN‑mediated electoral commission or a third‑party adjudicating body—might be pursued, although no concrete proposal has emerged.

In the broader geopolitical context, the dissolution of MINURSO could alter the balance of influence in North Africa, with Morocco potentially solidifying its control over Western Sahara, while Algeria faces the possibility of further regional marginalisation if the Polisario continues to seek international support.

In sum, UN Secretary‑Secretary Antonio Guterres’s announcement of MINURSO’s liquidation not only signals the end of a 35‑year mission but also intensifies the existing stalemate over Morocco’s autonomy plans and the Polisario’s demand for an independence referendum. As the region’s status remains unresolved, the international community will likely grapple with how to address the lingering humanitarian and security concerns that have persisted for decades.

1According to a statement from the Moroccan foreign ministry.