RABAT — The Royal Cabinet of Morocco issued an official statement on Friday, October 30, 2026, welcoming the end of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) mandate after the UN Security Council failed to adopt a resolution extending its deployment. Rabat characterized the development as a definitive step toward closing the decades-long UN file on the Sahara issue.

The non-renewal followed a contentious Security Council session where Russia vetoed an American draft resolution—supported by 11 of the 15 member states—that aimed to establish autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty as the sole basis for negotiations. A counter-proposal submitted by Moscow seeking a standard one-year technical extension was subsequently rejected, with the United States voting against it.

Complete Withdrawal of UN Mission Operations

Without an adopted text, the statutory mandate of the mission, which has been operational since 1991, officially lapsed. The Royal Cabinet noted that the operational footprint of MINURSO within Morocco's southern provinces will conclude shortly.

Key points detailed in the Royal Cabinet's announcement include:

• Operational Cessation: Full departure of UN mission personnel, vehicles, equipment, and symbols from the southern provinces in the coming days.

• UN Agenda Removal: Calling for the formal withdrawal of the Sahara item from the Security Council's periodic agenda, ending statutory reports and envoy briefings.

• Suspension of Political Process: Formal suspension of the UN-mediated political track, citing long-standing deadlock and procrastination by opposing parties.

Commitment to Ceasefire and Bilateral Diplomacy

Despite the formal end of the UN mission's mandate, the Royal Cabinet reaffirmed Morocco’s firm commitment to maintaining the ceasefire, safeguarding its territorial integrity, and ensuring national security across the region.

The statement emphasized that Morocco will continue its diplomatic momentum at the bilateral and regional levels. Rabat highlighted that over two-thirds of UN member states—including permanent members of the Security Council and major international powers—continue to support Morocco's autonomy plan as the primary framework for resolving the regional dispute.