U.N. Ends 35-Year Mission in Western Sahara After Mandate Expires

The U.N.'s peacekeeping mission for the disputed Western Sahara ended after 35 years, as a result of a U.S.-Russia standoff at U.N. headquarters over the territory's future. The end of the mission raises concerns about stability in the region, given its rich minerals and fisheries, and its vast desert territory, roughly the size of Colorado, along Africa's northwestern Atlantic coast. The mission had been repeatedly extended since it was established in 1991, but a disagreement led to an abrupt end of the force's mandate.

Morocco's royal palace 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,' and the Algerian foreign ministry criticized the U.S. draft resolution for its ''excessive bias.' Western Sahara is Africa's longest territorial dispute, classified by the U.N. as a 'non-self-governing territory,' while critics of Morocco's control describe it as Africa's last colony.

The mission was established to monitor a referendum on self-determination, with independence among the options. But the vote never materialized, as Morocco wanted the voter list to include Sahrawis living in the territory it controls, while the Polisario objected, arguing that their inclusion would tilt the outcome toward integration with Morocco. The Polisario insisted on using Spain's colonial census to determine voter eligibility. Twenty MINURSO personnel lost their lives in the mission. The U.N. force was authorized to have 534 personnel, and its 2026-2027 budget was more than $62 million. The top military contributors to the force were Egypt, Ghana, and Pakistan.

The U.N. secretary-general ''calls upon all parties to respect and promote the rights of the people of Western Sahara,'' Dujarric said, and 'remains concerned about the security situation throughout the Territory and the risk of escalation of hostilities. He calls on all concerned to exercise maximum restraint.' 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 U.N. said last month. Western Sahara is the major flashpoint in the rivalry between regional heavyweights Morocco and Algeria.