Why is Morocco celebrating the defeat of a UN resolution on Western Sahara?

According to Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera, the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara, known as MINURSO, saw its mandate expire on Saturday following a Russian veto at the UN Security Council. The US-drafted resolution sought to extend the mission by one year while pivoting toward Morocco’s autonomy plan as the primary basis for future negotiations, rather than the original goal of a referendum. Although the draft received 11 votes of support, Russia blocked the measure, arguing it favored one side and attempted to predetermine sovereignty issues.

The Moroccan government has publicly welcomed the mission's expiration, calling for the withdrawal of UN personnel and suggesting the Western Sahara issue be removed from Security Council consideration. While celebrations took place in the capital of El Aaiun, Morocco emphasized its continued commitment to the existing ceasefire. Conversely, Algeria and the Polisario Front expressed regret over the failure to renew the mandate, with the Polisario representative stating that the US proposal would have undermined the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination.

The expiry of the mission leaves the future of the disputed territory uncertain, as the mission had been responsible for monitoring a ceasefire that has been in place since 1991. Aid groups like Oxfam have warned that the loss of MINURSO’s oversight could threaten regional stability. Experts suggest that while the shift away from a referendum favors Morocco’s goal of solidifying administrative and territorial control, the collapse of the mandate risks further escalation in a region that has faced intermittent low-level fighting since 2020.

Source: Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera — https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/11/1/why-is-morocco-celebrating-the-defeat-of-a-un-resolution-on-western-sahara?traffic_source=rss