Morocco wants the Sahara dossier removed from the UN agenda after the collapse of MINURSO

Rabat, October 31, 2026The Moroccan government considers that the non-renewal of the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) represents a significant step towards the definitive closure of the Sahara issue within the United Nations framework. In a statement released by the Royal Cabinet on Friday, October 30, Rabat argues that the end of the mission should also pave the way for the suspension of the political process conducted by the Security Council and the removal of the dossier from that body's regular agenda.

The Moroccan position comes in the wake of the UN Security Council meeting held on October 30, in which members failed to reach a consensus to renew the mandate of MINURSO, which ends on October 31, today, Saturday. For Rabat, this development represents a fundamental shift in the international approach to the dispute, calling into question the continuity of a mechanism that it considers to have contributed, for 35 years, to the internationalization of the dispute over the territory.

In the statement, the Royal Cabinet affirms that the non-renewal means that MINURSO's presence in the southern provinces of Morocco, including its personnel, vehicles, equipment, and institutional symbols, will cease in the coming days. The Kingdom thus considers a 35-year chapter closed, since the mission's creation in 1991.

"This is an important development and a significant step towards the definitive closure of the Moroccan Sahara issue at the United Nations," the statement said, associating this development with the celebration of the Day of Unity, established by King Mohammed VI.

Rabat advocates for the suspension of the political process at the UN.

More than just the end of the mission's operational presence, Morocco attributes the non-renewal of the mandate to consequences for the diplomatic framework of the Western Sahara issue within the United Nations.

According to the Royal Cabinet, the development should mark the end of regular monitoring of the dossier by the Security Council, making periodic meetings dedicated to the topic, reports from the UN Secretary-General, and communications from his Personal Envoy unnecessary.

The Moroccan government also considers the political process conducted under the auspices of the UN to be suspended, holding the other parties responsible for what it describes as obstruction tactics, creating impasses and perpetuating the status quo. Rabat adds that similar initiatives should be promoted in other United Nations bodies.

Deadlock in the Security Council

The non-renewal resulted from a diplomatic impasse between the permanent members of the Security Council. According to information released by the Associated Press and Reuters, Russia vetoed a US proposal that sought to extend the mission's mandate for another year, introducing changes to its framework and establishing the Moroccan autonomy plan as the basis for negotiations.

A second proposal, presented by Russia, to extend MINURSO's mandate for another year, also failed to gather the necessary votes: it obtained only three votes in favor, one vote against, and 11 abstentions, falling short of the nine votes required for its approval.

Consequently, the Security Council did not approve either proposal, and the mission's mandate is set to expire on October 31, 2026.

The situation represents a significant change in the framework for international monitoring of the territory, but does not, in itself, resolve the dispute over the definitive status of the Sahara.

Morocco reaffirms sovereignty and support for autonomy.

Despite expressing satisfaction with the outcome of the Security Council meeting, Morocco affirms that it will remain committed to the ceasefire, within the framework of what it considers to be the principles of its territorial integrity, national security, and the protection of its citizens.

The statement also reaffirms the intention to pursue the diplomatic strategy promoted by King Mohammed VI, through bilateral and regional initiatives, with a view to obtaining international support for the proposal for Western Sahara's autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty.

According to the Royal Cabinet, more than two-thirds of the United Nations member states, including permanent members of the Security Council and other international powers, support this proposal as a framework for resolving the dispute.

Rabat's position is, therefore, that the end of MINURSO's mandate should translate not only into the closure of a mission established 35 years ago, but also into a change in the international framework of the issue itself, with autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty at the center of the political solution advocated by the Kingdom.

The conflict over the Sahara, however, remains without a definitive solution. Morocco claims sovereignty over the territory, while the Polisario Front defends the right of the Sahrawi people to self-determination, including independence. The UN mission was created in 1991, in the context of the ceasefire between the parties, with the aim of organizing a referendum on the future of the territory, a process that never came to fruition.