TIMES REPORT
RABAT: Morocco’s Royal Cabinet has welcomed the non-renewal of the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), describing the development as a significant step towards the final closure of the Moroccan Sahara issue at the United Nations.
In a statement issued on Friday, October 30, 2026, following a tense meeting of the UN Security Council, the Royal Cabinet said the end of MINURSO’s mandate marked the closure of a 35-year chapter in the management of the Sahara dispute.
The development came after Russia vetoed a US-sponsored draft resolution that had received the support of 11 of the 15 Security Council members. The US proposal supported autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty as the basis for negotiations. A Russian counter-proposal seeking a one-year extension of MINURSO’s mandate was also rejected.
The Royal Cabinet stated that the non-renewal meant MINURSO’s presence in Morocco’s southern provinces, including its personnel, vehicles, equipment and symbols, should end in the coming days.
It further said the development should mark the end of referring the Moroccan Sahara issue to the Security Council and its removal from the Council’s agenda, including periodic meetings and related reports by the UN Secretary-General.
Morocco also reiterated its commitment to the ceasefire, while emphasizing respect for its territorial integrity, national security and the security of its citizens.
The statement added that Morocco would continue its diplomatic efforts at bilateral and regional levels, highlighting what it described as growing international support for autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty as the framework for resolving the regional dispute.
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