The United Nations' peacekeeping mission in the disputed Western Sahara ceased operations Sunday, marking the end of a 35-year presence. The mission's termination stems from a U.S.-Russia disagreement at UN headquarters concerning the future of the territory.
The end of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) raises concerns about regional stability. Western Sahara, a mineral-rich desert territory claimed by both Morocco and the pro-independence Polisario Front, was administered by Spain before Morocco annexed it in 1975.
"This 1 November 2026 marks the start of the liquidation period," Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the U.N. secretary general, said in a statement. A smaller team will oversee the orderly transportation of assets belonging to troop-contributing countries and the disposal of UN equipment.
The mission, established in 1991, had been repeatedly extended. The impasse occurred when Russia vetoed a U.S. resolution supporting Morocco's claim to sovereignty and proposing the mission's end next year. Subsequently, a rival Russian resolution to extend the mission was voted down, leading to the abrupt termination.
Morocco's royal palace welcomed the non-renewal, characterizing the mission as "an instrument to internationalize the dispute." Conversely, the Polisario Front, supported by Algeria, called the decision "unacceptable." The Algerian foreign ministry expressed regret over the mandate's non-renewal and criticized the U.S. draft resolution for what it termed "excessive bias."
The UN classifies Western Sahara as a "non-self-governing territory." Morocco controls nearly all of the territory, except for a small strip known as the "free zone." The dispute escalated into an armed conflict after Morocco's annexation in 1975, resulting in over 16,000 casualties, according to the French Senate.
Morocco has long sought full sovereignty over the territory, referring to it as its southern provinces and securing backing from several Western nations. The Polisario Front, operating from refugee camps in Algeria, seeks independence and aims to establish a Sahrawi Republic. Its international support has diminished in recent years.
A UN-brokered cease-fire in 1991 paved the way for MINURSO, which was authorized to have 534 personnel and had a budget exceeding $62 million for the 2026-2027 period. The top military contributors were Egypt, Ghana, and Pakistan. Twenty MINURSO personnel died during the mission.
The UN secretary-general "calls upon all parties to respect and promote the rights of the people of Western Sahara," Dujarric stated, adding "concern about the security situation throughout the Territory and the risk of escalation of hostilities." He urged all parties to exercise "maximum restraint."
The Polisario withdrew from the cease-fire in 2020, and the territory has since experienced tensions and low-intensity hostilities. Western Sahara is a significant flashpoint between Morocco and Algeria, the latter arming and hosting the Polisario Front. The end of the UN mission risks further straining relations between the two regional rivals.