UN Peacekeeping Mission in Western Sahara Ends After 35 Years

OPA WIRE, Nov 2 (OPA) — The United Nations mission, known as MINURSO, officially entered a liquidation phase on Nov. 1, 2026. U.N. spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric confirmed that a specialized team will now oversee the orderly transport of assets and the disposal of equipment previously utilized by troop-contributing nations, including Egypt, Ghana, and Pakistan. The mission’s closure follows a failed Security Council vote on Friday, where a U.S.-backed resolution supporting Moroccan sovereignty was vetoed by Russia, while a rival Russian proposal to extend the mandate was subsequently rejected.

Established in 1991 to monitor a ceasefire and organize a referendum on self-determination, the mission operated with a 2026-2027 budget exceeding $62 million. Throughout its tenure, the force maintained an authorized strength of 534 personnel, though the promised referendum never materialized due to disputes over voter eligibility. Twenty personnel lost their lives during the mission’s 35-year deployment. Morocco’s royal palace welcomed the end of the mandate, characterizing the mission as an instrument that internationalized the dispute, while the Polisario Front condemned the decision as unacceptable.

Western Sahara, a mineral-rich territory along Africa’s Atlantic coast, remains a primary flashpoint between Morocco and Algeria. Morocco administers the majority of the region, while the Polisario Front, which seeks independence for the Sahrawi people, operates from camps in Tindouf, Algeria. The conflict, which escalated into armed hostilities following Morocco’s 1975 annexation, has resulted in over 16,000 deaths according to French Senate data. Diplomatic relations between Rabat and Algiers have been severed since 2021, heightening concerns that the absence of U.N. observers could trigger a regional arms race.

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres has urged all parties to exercise maximum restraint to prevent an escalation of hostilities. The territory has experienced low-intensity conflict since the Polisario Front withdrew from the 1991 ceasefire in 2020. As the U.N. withdraws its presence, the international community remains divided; while Washington, Paris, and London have increasingly aligned with Morocco’s position, the Polisario continues to receive backing from Algeria, Russia, and South Africa.