The withdrawal, which entered its liquidation phase on November 1, 2026, follows the failure of the UN Security Council to agree on renewing the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO). The mission had operated in the disputed territory since 1991, monitoring military developments and supporting efforts to organise a referendum that would allow the Sahrawi people to determine their political future.
However, the referendum never took place because Morocco and the Polisario Front failed to reach an agreement on who would qualify to vote. The latest development has therefore raised concerns about the future of international monitoring, regional stability and the possibility of achieving a lasting political settlement.
MINURSO Withdrawal to Affect Hundreds of Personnel
The closure process will involve the repatriation of approximately 160 military observers, the withdrawal of about 180 civilian and affiliated personnel, and the closure of roughly 13 facilities and team sites across the territory.
According to information provided by UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, the liquidation process will also involve the transportation of equipment belonging to countries that contributed troops to the mission, alongside the appropriate disposal of United Nations-owned assets.
MINURSO operated from its headquarters in Laayoune and maintained several team sites across Western Sahara, including locations on both sides of the berm, a defensive sand wall that separates areas controlled by Morocco from territory held by the Polisario Front. Its personnel came from several countries and provided an international presence in an area where military tensions have persisted for decades.
The Security Council’s failure to renew the mandate followed disagreements among its permanent members over the mission’s future and the direction of negotiations between the parties.
On October 30, the United States presented a draft resolution that sought to renew the mission’s mandate, but Russia vetoed the proposal. A separate Russian draft calling for a straightforward one-year extension also failed to secure the nine votes required for adoption, leaving MINURSO without an active mandate from November 1.
The decision attracted different reactions from the parties involved. Morocco welcomed the mission’s departure, while the Polisario Front and Algeria expressed regret over the failure to extend its mandate, reflecting their continuing disagreements about the political future of the territory.
Western Sahara Security Concerns Grow After UN Mission Ends
The departure of MINURSO has created fresh uncertainty around Western Sahara, particularly because the mission played an important role in monitoring military activities and reporting developments between the opposing sides.
Although the mission did not resolve the dispute, its presence provided an international monitoring mechanism that helped maintain communication and document developments in the territory. Its withdrawal could weaken that oversight, especially as the ceasefire between Morocco and the Polisario Front collapsed in 2020, leading to renewed hostilities and continued low-intensity conflict.
Security analysts have warned that the end of the mission could further complicate an already fragile situation. Without the same level of international monitoring, tensions could become more difficult to assess, while the Polisario Front may face additional challenges in maintaining international attention on its demands for self-determination.
The development also carries wider implications for North Africa, where the Western Sahara dispute has contributed to strained relations between Morocco and Algeria. Any escalation could affect regional diplomatic relations and make cooperation on broader security issues more difficult.
Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General António Guterres has stressed that the closure of MINURSO does not remove the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination. He has urged all parties to exercise maximum restraint and avoid actions that could increase tensions or threaten regional stability.
Although its peacekeeping operations have ended, the United Nations says it will continue supporting efforts to achieve a peaceful settlement through the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Western Sahara, Staffan de Mistura.
The end of MINURSO therefore represents more than the closure of a long-standing peacekeeping operation. It leaves important questions about international oversight, the future of negotiations and the rights of the Sahrawi people unresolved, while placing renewed attention on the ability of diplomatic efforts to prevent another escalation in the disputed territory.