Guterres orders MINURSO out of Western Sahara after veto leaves force without mandate

The United Nations is ending its peacekeeping operation in Western Sahara after 35 years.

The mission, known as MINURSO, will enter a liquidation phase beginning on November 1. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced the decision on Sunday. He stated that assets will be transported back to the countries that contributed troops. The Security Council failed to renew the mandate for the force.

The mission has operated since a ceasefire was brokered in 1991. Its mandate included monitoring the truce and organizing a referendum. That vote never occurred due to disputes over voter eligibility. The end of the mission follows a resolution adopted a year ago. That text accepted Morocco's plan for autonomy under its sovereignty as the most feasible solution.

Russia vetoed a new US-backed resolution this year. That resolution would have cemented the UN's preference for the Moroccan plan while scaling back the force. The Council subsequently defeated a competing Russian draft. The lack of a new mandate caused the mission to expire.

Morocco, which claims the territory, welcomed the outcome. Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita told state media that the reference to a referendum in the mission's name is an anachronism. He described the situation as an opportunity to review certain rules of the game. The royal palace called the non-renewal a significant development toward removing the issue from Security Council consideration.

Algeria's Foreign Ministry expressed deep regret on Saturday. It blamed the excessive bias of the United States toward Morocco's position. The Polisario Front, which is backed by Algeria and seeks independence, said it was concerned by the deadlock. The group has sought a separate state since Spain withdrew in 1976.