Morocco's parliament and upper house speaker call for the closure of the UN peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara

Updated 2026-11-03 · told from many outlets at once

The UN peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara ended after 35 years, with its mandate not renewed. The Security Council rejected both U.S. and Russian proposals to extend it. The mission's final phase began on November 1, 2026, with closure of its 13 sites. The conflict, lasting 50 years, continues with limited fighting since November.

• Russia vetoed an American resolution backed by 11 members seeking to renew and restructure MINURSO.
• The UN peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara's mandate did not renew.
• The UN mission in Western Sahara will close its 13 sites.
• Russia and the United States vetoed each other's resolutions concerning Western Sahara at the Security Council.
• The Western Sahara conflict has pitted Morocco against Polisario Front separatists for 50 years.
• Four Moroccan political parties welcomed the non-renewal of MINURSO’s mandate.
• The government spokesperson stated MINURSO was created in 1991 during the ceasefire.
• The Russian proposal sought to extend the Minurso mandate until October 2027.
• The Western Sahara has been on the UN list of non-self-governing territories since 1963.
• The UN confirmed the start of the liquidation period for the MINURSO mission.
• The current mandate of MINURSO expires this Saturday.
• The UN Security Council previously endorsed Morocco's autonomy plan as a basis for a political solution.
• The US proposed a text to extend the mission for one year.
• The mission ended due to disagreements between the United States and Russia at the UN headquarters.
• The conflict over Western Sahara is one of the longest and most complex in the world.
• Eleven Security Council members supported the American project.
• The council defeated a rival Russian resolution to extend the mission for a year.
• Fighting has continued in a limited manner since November when the Polisario movement announced it was resuming armed struggle.
• Algeria will continue to promote a solution guaranteeing the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination.

Outlets: ABC Color, Africanews, Al-Monitor, Clarín, Club of Mozambique, Courrier international, Daily Maverick, Danas, Deutsche Welle, Dnevnik.bg, EL PAÍS: el periódico global, El Mundo (Portada), Free Malaysia Today, Hespress English, Il Post, Jeune Afrique, La Libre Belgique, La Prensa (Panamá), La Tercera, La Vanguardia, Le Monde Afrique, Le Monde.fr - Actualités et Infos en France et dans le monde, Libération, Maghreb Emergent, Mediapart, Middle East Eye, MyJoyOnline, NOS Nieuws (Netherlands), NPR World, NRK (siste nytt), Nation (Kenya), Peoples Gazette, RFI Afrique, RFI Hausa, Radio-Canada Info, SRF News, Seznam Zprávy, TSA Algérie, TelQuel, The Business Standard (BD) and others

Written by AI from the outlets' reporting and checked automatically; it can contain mistakes. How Daily Brief works · Privacy