The United Nations' 35-year peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara, known as Minurso, has come to an end after the UN Security Council failed to reach an agreement on its future. The collapse occurred on Friday when Russia vetoed a U.S.-backed proposal that sought to prioritize Morocco’s autonomy plan for the region.
A subsequent Russian attempt to extend the mission without the U.S.-backed terms also failed to secure the necessary votes. With the mandate officially expired as of October 31, the UN has begun the liquidation process, overseeing the removal of military equipment and personnel. For Morocco, the end of the mission is a diplomatic victory.
The government in Rabat has long viewed the UN mechanism as an obstacle to resolving the dispute, and citizens in the territory have celebrated the news. Morocco has been aggressively pursuing international support for its autonomy plan, gaining key backing from the U.S. in 2020 and France in 2024.
While the Polisario Front, which has sought independence for the territory for over 50 years, condemned the U.S. proposal, the reality is that the UN mission had failed to organize a referendum or resolve the conflict since its inception in 1991.
As the mission exits, Morocco remains committed to its sovereignty over the region, while regional tensions—particularly with Algeria—continue to drive significant military spending.
The departure of the UN team leaves a security vacuum that experts warn could heighten regional instability, yet for Morocco, it represents a long-awaited opportunity to move past international bureaucratic interference and implement its own governance strategy.
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