Morocco will respect the ceasefire in Sahara after the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) ends, the King’s Office stated in a press release issued on Wednesday 4 November.

At the meeting chaired by King Mohammed VI on 4 November at the Royal Palace in Rabat, which was devoted to planning the next steps following the conclusion of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO)’s tasks, the monarch instructed the Office for Coordination with MINURSO to oversee the mission’s withdrawal, whilst reaffirming Morocco’s commitment to the ceasefire.

This statement comes a few days after the UN Security Council did not renew the mission’s mandate at its meeting on 30 October, following a vote in which Russia exercised its veto. The non-renewal of the mandate brought the mission’s work to an end.

In a statement issued by the Royal Cabinet, Morocco emphasised the “Kingdom’s full commitment to the ceasefire, a voluntary commitment that cannot be called into question by the end of the UN mission’s mandate”.

King MohammedVI emphasised the priorities set out in the Royal Cabinet’s communiqué of 30 October: strict respect for the Kingdom’s territorial integrity, its national security and the peace and security of its citizens, particularly the population of the southern provinces.

He also called to strengthen the national consensus and ensure the continuation of the development programme for the southern provinces and the associated infrastructure projects.

The limitations of the Sahara peace mission

After 35 years, MINURSO’s mandate was not renewed, thereby bringing to an end the international presence that had been monitoring the ceasefire in this decades-long conflict.

According to Rabat, “on numerous occasions, [the mission] proved incapable of monitoring compliance with the ceasefire or of taking the necessary action in response to its violations”, according to a statement issued following a meeting chaired by King Mohammed VI on Wednesday 4 November.

The Prime Minister, the Royal Adviser, the minister of interior and the Chief of the General Staff were present. “The circumstances that led to the creation of this mission, as well as the initial functions assigned to it, are now obsolete,” they added.

A diplomatic doctrine based on peace

The King emphasised the Kingdom’s respect for its international commitments and its diplomatic doctrine, which is founded on the maintenance of peace and the contribution to its establishment by all means, whilst preserving the Kingdom’s sovereignty.

He recalled the positive developments in the national cause and the diplomatic momentum that has accompanied them. This momentum has been crowned by the recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over its Sahara by friendly and brotherly countries. These countries regard autonomy as ‘the only political solution that offers all the elements needed to bring this artificial regional conflict to a definitive end’.

Morocco welcomed the decision not to renew the mission, the Polisario Front said it was “concerned”.

A brief history

After 16 years of fighting, Morocco and the Polisario Front agreed to a ceasefire negotiated by the UN in 1991. The UN established MINURSO to monitor the ceasefire and organise a referendum on the territory’s future. The Sahrawi people were to choose between independence and integration into Morocco.

A vote was scheduled for 1992 but never took place because the two sides failed to agree on eligibility criteria, with disagreements over the identification of voters proving a major obstacle.

In 2020, the ceasefire broke down and the UN describes this conflict as “low-intensity”.

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Non-Renewal of MINURSO Mandate Means Mission’s Presence Should End