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UN Mandate Expires After Security Council Deadlock
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed concern over potential security escalation in Western Sahara following the conclusion of a 35-year peacekeeping operation. The mission ended after the UN Security Council failed to extend its mandate.
According to UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, Guterres called on all involved parties to exercise restraint and refrain from actions that could increase regional tensions. The mission entered its liquidation phase on November 1, beginning the process of returning assets to troop-contributing countries.
Decades of Territorial Dispute
The UN established the Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) in 1991 to supervise a ceasefire and organize a referendum on the territory's status. The conflict traces back to 1975 following Spain's withdrawal from the region:
- Morocco has maintained that Western Sahara is part of its own territory.
- The Polisario Front, an Algeria-backed movement representing the Sahrawi people, aims to establish an independent Sahrawi Republic.
Veto Blocks United States Proposal
The failure to extend the mission followed intense debate at the Security Council. The United States presented a draft resolution proposing a one-year extension while dropping the word referendum from the mission's title and identifying Morocco's autonomy plan as the exclusive foundation for future negotiations.
While 11 of the 15 council members supported the resolution, Russia vetoed the measure. US Ambassador Mike Waltz expressed regret over the veto, stating that Washington's proposal aimed to advance the long-standing conflict. Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia defended the veto, arguing the draft favored one party and that the council should not predetermine issues of sovereignty. A competing draft introduced by Russia was also defeated.
Diverse Reactions from Regional Leaders
The end of MINURSO drew mixed responses from regional actors:
- Morocco: The royal palace described the non-renewal as a notable step toward removing the issue from Security Council review.
- Algeria: The Foreign Ministry expressed deep regret, attributing the outcome to perceived bias by the United States.
- Polisario Front: Expressed concern over the Security Council's internal deadlock.
Guterres stated that although active peacekeeping operations have concluded, the United Nations remains available to support diplomatic talks aimed at resolving the conflict peacefully.
Source: UN warns of security risks in Western Sahara as peacekeeping mission ends