Add StudioX as a preferred source on GoogleThe UN peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara has begun to wind down after the Security Council failed to agree on its future, according to UN News. Secretary-General António Guterres said on Sunday that the UN remains committed to a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution that provides for the self-determination of the territory’s people.
The mandate of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) expired at midnight on Saturday, 31 October. Sunday marks the start of a liquidation period.
Council vote ends in deadlock
On Friday, Russia vetoed a draft resolution from the United States. A rival Russian text then failed to win the nine votes needed for adoption in the 15-member Council.
Russia’s alternative would have extended the mission’s mandate by one year, to 31 October 2027.
The US delegate said his country’s draft would have supported the principle of self-determination and moved the 50-year conflict forward. He called the status quo unacceptable.
Explaining the veto, the Russian delegate said the US text would have imposed one-sided solutions. He described his vote as “a life-saving veto, so to speak”.
What happens now
Mr. Guterres’s statement, delivered by his Spokesperson, said the mission’s departure does not erase the right of the people of Western Sahara to self-determination. It called on all parties to respect and promote their rights.
The UN will keep working toward a peaceful resolution through the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy, Staffan de Mistura.
A smaller team reporting to the UN Department of Operational Support will oversee the disposal of UN equipment. Mr. Guterres asked the parties to cooperate fully so the process can finish in an orderly way and as soon as possible.
When the mandate ended, MINURSO was headquartered in Laayoune. It had nine team sites, four west of the berm and five east of it, and a liaison office in Tindouf. The mission had about 200 civilian staff, military observers and staff officers from more than 35 countries, along with a dedicated mine action capability.
Security concerns and a long mission
Mr. Guterres said he remains concerned about the security situation across the territory and the risk of hostilities escalating. He urged everyone involved to show maximum restraint and avoid actions that could raise tensions or undermine regional stability.
He credited MINURSO with playing a central role since 1991 in monitoring the ceasefire and creating conditions for a political solution. He thanked its personnel, including Special Representative Alexander Ivanko, who led the mission through a particularly challenging period after hostilities resumed in 2020. He also paid tribute to the 20 MINURSO personnel who died during the mission’s 35 years in the territory.
The Security Council established MINURSO under resolution 690 (1991). The mission followed UN-Organization of African Unity settlement proposals that Morocco and the Frente POLISARIO accepted in 1988. Those proposals provided for a referendum in which the people of Western Sahara would choose between independence and integration with Morocco.
The referendum never took place, but the mission continued its tasks under Council direction. In 2007, Morocco put forward an Autonomy Proposal as a basis for negotiations. It envisages the territory as self-governing under Moroccan sovereignty.
The UN said it stands ready to keep supporting efforts to advance dialogue and pursue a peaceful resolution of the conflict.
Source: UN News
Harnaik Singh Rathor is the Founder, Publisher, and Editor-in-Chief of StudioX News Canada, Canada's multilingual digital news network serving multilingual diaspora communities across Canada. With a background in media production, public relations, and multicultural communications, he founded StudioX Film and TV Corporation to bridge the gap between mainstream Canadian media and the country's diverse immigrant communities. He is a member of the Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ), RTDNA Canada, CPRS Vancouver, NEPMCC, and the Canadian Freelance Union (Unifor). Based in Surrey, British Columbia. | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harnaiksinghrathor/ | Muck Rack: https://muckrack.com/harnaiksinghrathor | Email: editor@studioxnews.ca
