Morocco Celebrates as Russia Vetoes UN Western Sahara Resolution
Morocco welcomed the collapse of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara after Russia vetoed a US-backed proposal.
At a glance
- Russia vetoed a UN resolution drafted by the United States that sought to extend the MINURSO mission and make Morocco's autonomy proposal the sole basis for talks.
- The expiration of the United Nations peacekeeping mission's operational period occurred on Saturday following the vote.
- Morocco welcomed the outcome and called for UN personnel to leave, while Algeria and the Polisario Front expressed regret over the failure.
- The disputed region has remained a flashpoint since Spain withdrew in 1975, with Morocco claiming sovereignty and the Polisario Front seeking independence.
Approval of a US-drafted resolution at the United Nations Security Council was blocked, a development hailed by Morocco that leaves the future of the disputed Western Sahara peacekeeping mission uncertain. Saturday marked the end of the operational term for the United Nations peacekeeping mission following a Russian veto against the text.
The US-backed text aimed to extend the mission for a year while dropping reference to a referendum and focusing instead on Morocco's autonomy plan. While 11 council members supported the draft, Russia used its veto power to block it, arguing the proposal showed excessive bias toward one side of the half-century territorial dispute.
Positions at the UN Security Council
US ambassador Mike Waltz described the veto as unfortunate, stating that the proposal would have advanced the fifty-year conflict and that the current status quo is unacceptable. Meanwhile, Russian ambassador Vassily Nebenzia explained that Moscow opposed the text because the Security Council should not predetermine matters of sovereignty.
A separate Russian draft aimed at renewing the mission without the contested changes failed to secure enough support, receiving only two votes in favor, one against, and eleven abstentions.
Reactions from Rabat, Algiers and the Polisario Front
Morocco's royal palace expressed satisfaction with the outcome, stating that UN personnel and equipment should depart the territory soon and that the issue should be removed from the Security Council's agenda. Celebrations broke out in the streets of El Aaiun, where residents waved national flags.
In contrast, Algeria criticized the US draft for favoring Morocco and thanked Russia for blocking it. Sidi Omar, representing the Polisario Front, also welcomed the veto, asserting that the US plan would have undermined Sahrawi self-determination.
Analysis
The expiration of the mission's mandate highlights deep divisions among global powers over the governance of Africa's last major non-self-governing territory. While major nations like the United States, France, and the United Kingdom have gravitated toward supporting Moroccan autonomy, opposition from nations like Russia and Algeria ensures the underlying dispute remains unresolved.
The lack of an active UN peacekeeping mandate raises questions about stability on the ground and the future framework for any renewed negotiations as Morocco asserts greater control.
What to watch: Watch for the withdrawal of UN personnel from Western Sahara and any subsequent diplomatic moves by the Security Council.
Reporting from: Al Jazeera, France 24. Spotted an error? Tell us.
- Western Sahara
- United Nations
- Morocco
- Russia
- Algeria
- World
- Politics