UN Western Sahara Peacekeeping Mission Ends After 35 Years in US–Russia Standoff
Written by AI from aljazeera.com's report. Not checked by a person.
The UN's MINURSO mission in Western Sahara ceased operations after Russia vetoed its renewal, ending 35 years of international oversight of the disputed territory.
The UN peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara — MINURSO — began its liquidation phase on November 1 after the Security Council failed to renew its mandate, ending more than three decades of international oversight. The US had proposed a resolution that would have extended the mission for one year, removed the word "referendum" from its name, and made Morocco's autonomy proposal the sole basis for future talks. Russia vetoed the draft despite support from 11 of the 15 council members, including fellow permanent members France and the United Kingdom. A competing Russian resolution was then also defeated, leaving the mission without any mandate. MINURSO was established in 1991 to monitor a ceasefire between Morocco and the Polisario Front — an Algeria-backed movement representing the Indigenous Sahrawi people — and to prepare a referendum on the territory's future that was never held. Morocco has administered most of Western Sahara since Spain withdrew from the region in 1975 and regards it as sovereign territory. Morocco's royal palace described the non-renewal as a "significant development" in withdrawing the issue from the Security Council's consideration. Algeria expressed "deep regret" over the outcome, blaming what it called excessive US bias toward Morocco. The Polisario Front said it was "concerned at the deadlock." UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned of a real risk of escalating hostilities and urged all parties to exercise maximum restraint, adding that the UN remains ready to support dialogue toward a peaceful resolution even as mission assets are returned to troop-contributing countries.
