UN Withdrawal Clears Path for Morocco to Control Western Sahara
Security Council deadlock forces the end of the Minurso mission, removing the primary international check on Rabat's autonomy plan.
By Adriana Abebe ·
The United Nations has exited Western Sahara, ending a decades-long peacekeeping operation in a region rich in phosphate and Atlantic fishing rights.
Morocco’s foreign ministry stated that the closure of the mission, known as Minurso, validates the country’s 2007 autonomy proposal. Rabat now controls the territory’s defense and foreign policy, while local Sahrawi administrations manage internal affairs. This structure was formally backed by the Security Council in 2025 as the most feasible solution to the dispute.
The exit followed a failed vote at the Security Council on Friday. A United States draft aimed to extend the mission for one year and remove the word "referendum" from its mandate. Eleven members, including France and the United Kingdom, supported the measure. Russia cast a veto, arguing the draft favored Morocco. A competing Russian draft that retained existing terms received only two votes.
Minurso’s mandate expired on October 31. The UN declared the mission in liquidation the following day, reducing its staff to a small team tasked with transferring equipment and assets. Morocco requested that remaining personnel and hardware leave within days. It also asked for the dispute to be removed from the Security Council’s permanent agenda.
Celebrations erupted in Laayoune, the territory’s largest city, where residents displayed national flags and images of King Mohammed VI. House of Representatives Speaker Ahmed Touizi addressed a joint parliamentary session on Monday. He labeled the outcome a diplomatic victory and called for the rapid implementation of development projects alongside the autonomy framework.
The territory was under Spanish colonial rule until 1975. Spain transferred administrative control to Morocco and Mauritania without resolving sovereignty issues. Mauritania dropped its claim in 1979. Morocco continued a war against the Polisario Front, which sought independence. The conflict lasted 16 years until a ceasefire in 1991 led to the creation of Minurso.
The UN mission was designed to monitor the truce and organize a referendum on independence or integration with Morocco. That vote, originally scheduled for 1992, never took place due to disagreements over voter eligibility. Polisario returned to armed struggle in November 2020. It remains a key player in the region, with Algeria providing political support and hosting thousands of refugees near Tindouf.
Experts and aid groups have raised concerns about the post-mission security environment. Issam Laaroussi, a Moroccan international relations expert, noted that the departure gives Rabat more room to advance its policies but may create security gaps. Oxfam warned that the loss of monitoring mechanisms could damage stability and impact civilians. Polisario condemned the American draft, and its representative Sidi Omar credited Russia for blocking the extension.
Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita confirmed that the ceasefire remains in effect. He affirmed Rabat’s commitment to the agreement, subject to respect for its security and sovereignty. Polisario has not yet announced its next strategic steps. The territory remains on the UN list of non-self-governing territories, and its legal status has not changed.
