The United Nations has ended its 35-year peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara following a deadlock at the U.N. Security Council, where the U.S. and Russia failed to agree on the territory’s future.
The U.N. confirmed the mission’s liquidation period began 1 November 2026, with a smaller team overseeing the withdrawal of equipment and personnel. The dispute centers on Western Sahara, a mineral- and fishery-rich desert territory claimed by both Morocco and the Polisario Front, a pro-independence movement backed by Algeria.
U.N. Security Council deadlock halts mission
The mission, established in 1991, had been repeatedly extended until Friday, when Russia vetoed a U.S. draft resolution that would have recognized Morocco’s sovereignty claim and terminated the peacekeeping force. A competing Russian proposal to extend the mission was also rejected, leaving the mandate abruptly unresolved.
Morocco welcomes end of mission
Morocco’s royal palace stated the mission’s termination was a step toward resolving the dispute, calling the U.N. force an “instrument to internationalize the conflict.” The Polisario Front, however, condemned the decision as “an unacceptable outcome,” with Algeria’s foreign ministry criticizing the U.S. draft resolution as “excessively biased.”
Territory remains Africa’s longest-running dispute
Western Sahara is classified by the U.N. as a “non-self-governing territory”, though Morocco controls roughly 80% of the land. The conflict has persisted since Spain’s withdrawal in 1975, with tensions flaring intermittently between Moroccan forces and the Polisario Front, which seeks an independent state known as the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.
The U.N. has not announced a replacement for the peacekeeping mission, raising concerns about potential instability in the region. Troop-contributing countries are now preparing to withdraw their personnel and assets, while the U.N. oversees the disposal of mission equipment.