The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara ceased operations on November 1, 2026, after 35 years of deployment. The mission's end was triggered by a US-Russia standoff at the UN Security Council over the territory's future. Western Sahara is a vast desert territory along Africa's northwestern Atlantic coast, roughly the size of Colorado, and is rich in minerals and fisheries. The territory is claimed by both Morocco and the pro-independence Polisario Front.
The UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara, known as MINURSO, was established in 1991 to oversee a cease-fire between Morocco and the Polisario Front. The mission's mandate was repeatedly extended, but a draft US resolution to support Morocco's demand for sovereignty over Western Sahara and end the peacekeeping mission next year was vetoed by Russia. A rival Russian resolution to extend the mission was subsequently voted down, leading to the abrupt end of the force's mandate.
Morocco welcomed the non-renewal of the mission, calling it an "instrument to internationalize the dispute." The Polisario Front, backed by Algeria, called it "an unacceptable decision." The Algerian foreign ministry expressed regret over the non-renewal of the mandate and criticized the "excessive bias" of the US draft resolution. The UN classifies Western Sahara as a "non-self-governing territory," while critics of Morocco's control describe it as Africa's last colony.
Morocco administers nearly all of the disputed territory, except for a narrow strip known as the "free zone" that lies east of a Moroccan-built sand wall. The dispute escalated into an armed conflict that lasted over 15 years and claimed more than 16,000 lives on both sides. Morocco has secured the backing of several Western capitals, including Washington, Paris, and London, which refer to the territory as its southern provinces.
The Polisario Front seeks independence for Western Sahara, which it considers the homeland of the Indigenous Sahrawi people. The movement operates from refugee camps in the Algerian city of Tindouf and aims to establish an independent Sahrawi Republic. The Polisario has seen its international support dwindle in recent years, with main backers including Algeria, Russia, and South Africa.
The UN secretary-general called upon all parties to respect and promote the rights of the people of Western Sahara, expressing concern about the security situation throughout the territory and the risk of escalation of hostilities. The Polisario withdrew from the ceasefire in 2020 after clashes, and the territory has since remained the scene of tensions and low-intensity hostilities.
The end of the mission risks further straining ties between regional heavyweights Morocco and Algeria, which severed diplomatic relations in 2021. The two countries have competing interests in the territory, with Algiers seeing full Moroccan sovereignty as a major diplomatic defeat. The UN force had 534 personnel and a 2026-2027 budget of over $62 million, with Egypt, Ghana, and Pakistan as top military contributors.
Key points
- The UN peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara ended due to a US-Russia standoff at the UN Security Council.
- Morocco welcomed the end of the mission, while the Polisario Front and Algeria expressed regret and concern.
- The territory's future remains uncertain, with Morocco and the Polisario Front holding competing claims.
