Why a US-Russia showdown left Morocco celebrating
Summary
The UN Security Council did not renew the mandate of its Western Sahara mission after Russia vetoed a US-backed proposal and a Russian alternative failed to win enough votes. Morocco welcomed the mission’s end, as the dispute with the Polisario Front over the territory’s status and the ceasefire’s future remains unresolved.Key Facts
- Western Sahara was a Spanish colony until 1975.
- Morocco claims Western Sahara as part of its territory, while the Polisario Front seeks independence.
- The International Court of Justice found historical ties of allegiance but no territorial sovereignty that overrode the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination.
- A 1991 UN-brokered ceasefire led to the creation of Minurso, which was tasked with monitoring the ceasefire and organizing a referendum.
- The referendum did not take place because Morocco and the Polisario Front could not agree on who could vote.
- Morocco proposed autonomy for Western Sahara in 2007; the Polisario Front and Algeria rejected the plan.
- The ceasefire broke down in November 2020, when the Polisario Front said it was resuming armed struggle.
- In 2025, the Security Council backed Morocco’s autonomy plan as the most feasible solution, according to the article.
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