Russia, US veto rival UN Western Sahara resolutions, leaving peacekeeping mission in limbo
The mission’s 11-3 vote split exposed deep divisions over whether autonomy or a referendum should guide the territory’s future.
- On Friday, the United Nations Security Council failed to renew MINURSO after Russia and the United States vetoed rival resolutions, leaving the 35-year-old peacekeeping mission's mandate expired as of yesterday.
- The United States proposed rebranding the force as MINUSO and removing the 'referendum' mandate while making Morocco's autonomy plan the sole basis for negotiations; Russia blocked it as a 'unilateral approach.'
- Russia's rival resolution sought to extend the existing mandate, but the United States vetoed it; neither proposal secured the nine votes required in the 15-member council.
- Morocco's Royal Cabinet welcomed the non-renewal on Friday, stating the failure 'should mark the end of the Security Council's involvement' while 155 military personnel and a $62 million budget face uncertainty.
- The Polisario Front expressed 'satisfaction' with the outcome, though aid group Oxfam warned that losing the mission's monitoring functions risks undermining civilian security in the territory since 1991.
191 Articles
191 Articles
The mandate of the United Nations mission for the organisation of a referendum in Western Sahara expired on 1 November, after a double veto on the Security Council. For the first time since 1991, the territory contested by Morocco and the Frente Polisario was left without a peacekeeping mission.
In the absence of agreement on two texts, respectively by the United States and Russia, the United Nations Security Council has not been able to renew the mandate of the Minurso, which has been in place since 1991.
The failure to renew the mandate of the Minurso is serious news. On 30 October the United Nations Security Council was unable to approve any of the proposals on the future of the mission, whose mandate expired the following day. It was established in 1991
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 39% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
