UN Security Council fails to renew Western Sahara mission

On 30 October the UN Security Council failed to renew the mandate of the MINURSO mission in Western Sahara: Russia vetoed a US draft, and a rival Russian draft did not win enough votes. The mandate expired on 31 October.

The US draft won 11 votes in favour, one against and three abstentions; it proposed renaming the mission, dropping the reference to a referendum and making Morocco’s autonomy plan the basis for talks. Russia proposed a one-year “technical” extension with no changes, which only three countries supported. Without a mandate the mission loses its basis to operate, though this does not mean its staff leave immediately.

Morocco’s Royal Cabinet welcomed the outcome and said the mission’s presence in the territory should end in the coming days; at the session the Moroccan and Algerian envoys traded accusations. For Spain, the former colonial power in Western Sahara, the issue matters in relations with both Rabat and Algiers, a key gas supplier.