UN peacekeeping mission in Sahara ends operations
The MINURSO mandate was not renewed, according to France 24 because of a Russian veto. The UN confirmed the start of the liquidation period, while El País warns of escalation between Morocco and the Polisario, with no observers on the ground.
One Vote, Two Versions
According to France 24, the mandate was not renewed on Friday because Russia vetoed a draft US resolution. That text, backed by eleven of the fifteen Council members, would have extended the mission by one year and placed Morocco's autonomy plan at the centre of settling the conflict. The dispute has pitted Rabat against the pro-independence Polisario Front, which is backed by Algeria, for 50 years.
Moscow justified its move by citing a 'unilateral approach' and proposed renewing the mandate on the same terms. France 24 adds that the United States voted against the Russian text and that the countries in favour of the American resolution abstained. El País describes the sequence differently, referring to a 'cross veto'. The two accounts diverge on this point.
The mandate expired at the end of Saturday. Established in 1991, MINURSO had 359 civilian and military personnel in June 2026, according to its website, as cited by France 24.
What the UN and Other Actors Say
La Nouvelle Tribune relays the statement from Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the Secretary-General. A reduced team, attached to the Department of Operational Support, will oversee 'the orderly transfer to their respective countries of property belonging to the troop-contributing countries, as well as the appropriate sale or disposal of equipment belonging to the United Nations'. The statement specifies that the UN remains ready to support dialogue through the Personal Envoy, Staffan de Mistura.
According to RTVE, António Guterres urged all parties concerned to exercise 'the utmost restraint' and to 'refrain from taking any steps that could aggravate tensions or undermine regional stability'.
That leaves the question of on-the-ground observation. El País quotes a senior UN official: 'This is a low-intensity conflict, with incidents along the wall and drone attacks since the ceasefire collapsed in 2020. Only we can see what is happening.' For the Spanish daily, the departure of the observers 'threatens to fuel the escalation towards war' between Morocco, which controls 80% of the territory, and the Polisario. The ceasefire signed 35 years ago fell apart in 2020.
The Polisario's UN representative, Sidi Mohamed Omar, stated that the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination is 'a red line that is not negotiable', reports El País.
Rabat's Position and the Georgian Precedent
The statement from the Royal Palace, cited by El País, reads: 'A 35-year page is thus being closed. Inherited from an anachronistic and outdated context, this mission has for a long time served as an instrument for internationalising a regional dispute.' Rabat reaffirms its commitment to the ceasefire.
Also according to El País, Morocco insists that the Western Sahara question be removed from the agenda of the Security Council and other UN bodies, and that the dispute be referred to bilateral and regional agreements.
The newspaper also notes the reading of Moroccan media, without naming them. These outlets believe the departure of MINURSO should be completed within a month at most. They point to the precedent of the UN observer mission in Georgia, which was also brought to an end by a Russian veto in the Security Council in 2009.
Guterres also paid tribute to the 20 members of the mission who died during its 35 years of activity.
Sources
- •France 24 (france24.com), 1 November 2026
- •lnt.ma (lnt.ma), 1 November 2026
- •RTVE (rtve.es), 1 November 2026
- •El País (elpais.com), 1 November 2026
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