As the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) ceases its operations following the non-renewal of its mandate by the Security Council, the Secretary-General wishes to recognize the central role MINURSO has played since its establishment in 1991 in helping to monitor the ceasefire and creating conditions conducive to the pursuit of a political solution.
The Secretary-General expresses his deepest gratitude to MINURSO personnel, including the Special Representative for Western Sahara, Alexander Ivanko, whose leadership has guided the Mission during a particularly challenging period following the resumption of hostilities in 2020. He pays tribute to the 20 MINURSO personnel who lost their lives during the 35 years the Mission was deployed in Western Sahara.
This 1 November 2026 marks the start of the liquidation period, during which a smaller team reporting to the United Nations’ Department of Operational Support, will oversee the orderly transportation of assets belonging to troop-contributing countries to their respective nations, and the appropriate disposal of equipment belonging to the United Nations. The Secretary-General calls for the full cooperation of the parties to ensure this process is completed in an orderly manner as soon as possible.
MINURSO was established to protect and serve the people of Western Sahara, in particular to allow them to realize their inalienable right to self-determination. The Secretary-General underscores that the departure of MINURSO does not abrogate these inalienable rights and calls upon all parties to respect and promote the rights of the people of Western Sahara.
The Secretary-General remains concerned about the security situation throughout the Territory and the risk of escalation of hostilities. He calls on all concerned to exercise maximum restraint and to refrain from actions that could further increase tensions or undermine regional stability.
The Secretary-General reaffirms the commitment of the United Nations to support the parties to reach a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution that provides for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara. While MINURSO's peacekeeping operations have concluded, the United Nations stands ready to continue supporting efforts to advance dialogue and pursue a peaceful resolution of the conflict through the Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General, Staffan de Mistura.
