MINURSO reduces its presence in Western Sahara

The United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) has chosen to reduce its presence in the region for the first time since it was founded in 1991.

However, this decision has nothing to do with the economic crisis that the organisation has been going through for years, as the UN has allocated 75.35 million dollars to its mission in Western Sahara, which represents an increase of 9.1% compared to the previous fiscal year. On the other hand, the suspension of the hiring of new foreign personnel was announced, based on directives issued from UN headquarters in New York. 

This verdict was communicated from the headquarters in Laayoune, generating some concern among diplomats due to the fact that the political context is not going through its best moment. 

Channels linked to the Polisario Front have expressed their concern at the issuing of this resolution, as they consider it to be a first step towards the elimination of the ‘political agreement on Western Sahara, in favour of managing the conflict without a solution, which could lead to a new escalation’, according to reports in the Saharawi media. 

Despite the demands of Donald Trump, President of the United States, and John Bolton, his former National Security Advisor, during Trump's first term in the White House, MINURSO was not subject to calls to reduce its funding. On the other hand, in this second term the situation could have taken a turn for the worse, due to the strong economic restrictions and adjustments that the United States is establishing for the whole world and in all areas. 

But why this lack of funding? Historically, MINURSO has enjoyed special treatment compared to other United Nations peacekeeping missions. 

Last March, at an American research centre with close links to Donald Trump, criticism was levelled at the Mission for receiving excessive funds in comparison with the lack of results, given that in 34 years it has not achieved the two objectives for which MINURSO was founded: to create a census in the Tindouf camps and to organise a referendum in Western Sahara, an option that has been ruled out since 2001 due to the tension of the conflict. 

‘Trump and the UN could save billions by ending these operations’ and ‘after 34 years, MINURSO has not even carried out a full census. It makes excuses, some valid, some not, but time is passing,’ were the statements made by this research centre or think tank about MINURSO. 

Far from failing to carry out the census and the referendum, the Organisation's main criticism is that it has failed to ensure respect for the ceasefire agreed with the parties in September 1991, which Polisario has violated on many occasions since 13 November 2020.