Rival US and Russian Resolutions on Western Sahara Fail at UN Security Council

Competing resolutions proposed by the United States and Russia at the UN Security Council failed on Friday, leaving the future of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara uncertain as its mandate approaches expiration.

According to reported statements and official council proceedings, the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) faces an impending expiration date on Saturday unless a last-minute agreement is reached. The developments took place at the UN headquarters in New York.

Council Votes and Diplomatic Positions

• US-Backed Proposal: Russia vetoed the US-backed draft on Friday, despite support from 11 of the 15 council members, including France and the United Kingdom. The proposal sought to extend the mission for a year, remove "referendum" from its name, and make Morocco’s autonomy proposal the sole basis for further talks.
• Russian Proposal: A rival Russian draft failed to secure the necessary nine votes, receiving two votes in favour, one against, and 11 abstentions. Russia opposed the US text, arguing that the Security Council should not predetermine sovereignty matters.

US Ambassador Mike Waltz stated that the referendum had been stalled for decades. Meanwhile, Russian UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia contended that the US draft favored one side.

Background and Stakeholder Reactions

Western Sahara is a former Spanish colony in northwest Africa claimed by Morocco, while the Algeria-backed Polisario Front seeks an independent Sahrawi Republic. MINURSO was established in 1991 to monitor a ceasefire and prepare a referendum, though voting disputes have halted the process.

• Morocco: Morocco's royal palace welcomed the failure to renew MINURSO, stating that UN personnel and equipment should depart in the coming days while affirming a commitment to the ceasefire.
• Polisario Front: UN representative Sidi Omar welcomed the Russian veto, asserting that the US proposal undermined Sahrawi self-determination.
• Algeria: The Algerian foreign ministry expressed regret on Saturday over the failure to renew the mandate, criticizing the US draft's bias toward Morocco.
• Civil Society: Aid group Oxfam warned that losing MINURSO's monitoring and de-escalation functions risks undermining regional security and stability.

Low-level fighting has persisted since the Polisario resumed armed struggle in 2020. The UN mission currently maintains 155 military personnel with a budgeted cost of $62m for the fiscal year beginning in June.