UN peace mission ends in Western Sahara

The United Nations peace mission in Western Sahara ceased operations on Sunday after 35 years of deployment. The abrupt end to the mission follows a procedural deadlock in the UN Security Council between the United States and Russia. A reduced team will now oversee the transfer of assets and equipment back to troop-contributing countries.

Stéphane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN secretary-general, stated in a written communication that November 1, 2026, marks the start of the liquidation period. His team will report to the UN Department of Operational Support. The group will manage the orderly return of national assets and the proper disposal of UN-owned equipment.

The mission, first established in 1991, was repeatedly extended until this year. On Friday, the Security Council voted on two competing resolutions. Russia vetoed a U.S. proposal that would have supported Morocco's claim to sovereignty and ended the mission next year. A rival Russian resolution to extend the mission was then rejected in the vote. This sequence of events triggered the immediate withdrawal of the blue helmet forces.

Western Sahara is a desert territory roughly the size of Colorado located on the northwest coast of Africa. The land is rich in minerals and fish. It was formerly governed by Spain. Today, Morocco and the Polisario Front, which advocates for independence, both claim the region. Morocco controls nearly all of the disputed area, with the exception of a narrow strip called the free zone situated east of a sand wall built by Rabat.

The Moroccan palace said it welcomed the decision not to renew the mission. It described the peacekeeping operation as a tool used to internationalize the dispute. The Polisario Front, backed by Algeria, called the outcome an unacceptable decision. The Algerian foreign ministry expressed deep regret over the non-renewal and criticized the U.S. draft for excessive bias.

France’s Senate reported that the armed conflict following the 1975 annexation by Morocco lasted more than 15 years and resulted in over 16,000 deaths on both sides. The UN classifies Western Sahara as a non-self-governing territory. Critics of Moroccan control refer to it as Africa's last colony. Rabat has long viewed full sovereignty over the region as a central goal of its foreign policy.