Atlantic Council Report Urges Dismantling of MINURSO Amid Growing Support for Morocco’s Sovereignty

Mounting Pressure to End “Obsolete and Ineffective” UN Mission

Momentum is building to dismantle the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), with a new Atlantic Council report describing it as an “obsolete and ineffective” mission that has failed its core mandate.

U.S. Backs Morocco’s Sovereignty as Viable Solution

The report comes as the United States reaffirms its support for Morocco’s autonomy plan as the only viable solution to the decades-long dispute. The document argues MINURSO now functions more as a barrier to progress than a facilitator of peace.

“MINURSO failed to deliver on its mandate and only served to maintain a state of paralysis,” the report states, criticizing UN envoy Staffan de Mistura for being “out of step” with current geopolitical realities.

Shifting International Stance Renders Mission Irrelevant

Since Washington’s 2020 recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty, international support has grown, with Spain aligning with Rabat in 2022 and France opening diplomatic offices in the Sahara. These developments have disrupted the status quo maintained by MINURSO, making the mission increasingly irrelevant.

Failed Leadership and Growing Regional Threats

The report reveals De Mistura has expressed interest in stepping down after failing to foster Morocco-Algeria dialogue. His recent partition proposal is described as a “faux pas” highlighting the mission’s outdated approach.

MINURSO has also done little to address critical regional threats including terrorism, trafficking, and instability – particularly from extremist groups and foreign influence in Algeria’s Tindouf camps.

Calls to End $61 Million “Waste” of U.S. Funds

Authors argue the $61 million annual budget – mostly funded by the U.S. – is being wasted on what they call a “neocolonial instrument from the past.” They urge defunding MINURSO to pave way for Morocco’s autonomy plan.

Echoes of Criticism from Washington Examiner

These findings align with The Washington Examiner’s critique of MINURSO as an expensive failure that hasn’t organized even a basic census since 1991, let alone a referendum.

“Continuing to fund MINURSO contradicts U.S. recognition of Western Sahara as part of Morocco and undermines the Abraham Accords,” the Examiner noted.

Growing Support for New Framework

With trans-Atlantic allies increasingly frustrated by decades of inaction, pressure mounts on the UN to reassess MINURSO’s future and adopt results-oriented frameworks centered on Morocco’s autonomy proposal.

This article summarizes an original report. Read the full report at the original source.