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The Straits Times. (2026, November 1). UN peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara ends after 35 years, UN chief says. The Straits Times. https://www.straitstimes.com/world/un-peacekeeping-mission-in-western-sahara-ends-after-35-years-un-chief-says
The Straits Times. “UN peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara ends after 35 years, UN chief says.” The Straits Times, 1 Nov. 2026, https://www.straitstimes.com/world/un-peacekeeping-mission-in-western-sahara-ends-after-35-years-un-chief-says.
The Straits Times. “UN peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara ends after 35 years, UN chief says.” The Straits Times, November 1, 2026. https://www.straitstimes.com/world/un-peacekeeping-mission-in-western-sahara-ends-after-35-years-un-chief-says.
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On November 1, 2026, the UN’s long-running peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara ended after 35 years due to a veto by Russia and competing resolutions from both the US and Russian delegations failing at the Security Council. The mission, known as MINURSO, was established in 1991 to monitor a ceasefire and prepare for a referendum on the territory’s future but has been unable to achieve its goals due to ongoing disputes. Morocco, which claims Western Sahara as part of its territory, welcomed the decision, while the Polisario Front, backed by Algeria and seeking independence for Western Sahara, expressed concern over potential instability in the region. The UN chief stated that a smaller team would oversee the orderly transportation of assets and disposal of equipment belonging to troop-contributing countries and the United Nations.
Morocco, which claims the Western Sahara as its own, welcomed the decision, while its opponents in the Algeria-backed Polisario Front expressed concern.
The Security Council then defeated a competing Russian resolution, leaving the mission to expire without a new mandate.