MINURSO liquidation: UN to repatriate 160 observers, close 13 sites

The United Nations will repatriate around 160 military observers and withdraw some 180 civilian staff and contractors as it winds down MINURSO, UN Secretary-General spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told reporters at a press briefing. The liquidation process began on November 1.

A small team from the Department of Operational Support, supported by UN headquarters, has been tasked with overseeing the operation. Among its duties is the orderly and environmentally responsible closure and handover of 13 sites and facilities previously used by the mission.

The plan further includes relocating or disposing of UN equipment and property, dismantling communications and logistics systems, managing the mission’s archives and records, and terminating locally signed agreements and contracts. Dujarric said administrative, financial and security oversight would continue throughout the process to safeguard personnel and protect UN assets.

No completion date has been set for the withdrawal. Dujarric said the UN does not yet have a final estimate of how long the process will take, since the mandate lapsed without renewal and without advance notice. The closure will follow the standard rules and procedures the organisation applies when shutting down its missions.

He called on the parties concerned to cooperate fully so the pull-out can be completed as quickly as possible, urging them to exercise maximum restraint and avoid any action that could raise tensions or destabilise the region.

MINURSO’s mandate expired on October 31 after the Security Council failed to renew it. A day earlier, Russia vetoed a US-drafted resolution presenting the autonomy initiative under Moroccan sovereignty as a credible basis for negotiations, while a separate Russian text seeking a simple extension also failed to secure enough votes. Established in 1991, MINURSO leaves after 35 years on the ground.