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Russia vetoed a U.S.-drafted Security Council resolution on Friday, leaving the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara without a renewed mandate a day before its expiration.
The U.S. proposal sought to extend the mission for another year while endorsing Morocco’s autonomy plan as the sole foundation for peace negotiations.
A competing Russian resolution also failed after securing only three votes in favour, well short of the nine required for adoption.
The diplomatic standoff threatens the future of the mission, known as MINURSO, which has monitored the region for decades.
Morocco’s royal palace welcomed the mandate’s expiration, calling for the immediate withdrawal of UN personnel and equipment while reaffirming its commitment to the regional ceasefire.
Meanwhile, international aid groups like Oxfam warned that ending the peacekeeping presence risks escalating security threats for tens of thousands of Sahrawi refugees living in regional camps.
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The U.S. draft also proposed scaling back the mission’s military component and removing the word “referendum” from its official title.
Russia rejected the changes, arguing that the Security Council should not endorse a one-sided approach or predetermine sovereignty.
Unless the Council reaches a last-minute compromise, MINURSO’s mandate will officially expire on October 31.
