Western Sahara: 152 UN votes to keep the territory on the decolonization list

The United Nations General Assembly's Fourth Committee, responsible for decolonization issues, renewed Western Sahara's status as a "non-self-governing territory" with 152 votes in favor, 2 against, and 7 abstentions, according to the Kenyan radio station Capital FM, which reported the vote on October 16, 2026. The United States and Israel voted against it. Morocco, which administers the majority of the territory, voted in favor.

A vote that is usually not a vote

The procedural detail is the most significant aspect. This text is usually adopted by consensus, without a formal vote. This time, the American delegation requested a recorded vote on the 23 draft resolutions examined by the committee, forcing each state to declare its position by name. The result isolates Washington on an issue where UN doctrine has not shifted since the Spanish withdrawal in 1975: Western Sahara remains a territory whose decolonization the UN considers unfinished.

The resolution does not resolve the substance of the matter. It does not determine the final status of the territory and calls on the parties to continue negotiations while avoiding any action that could compromise a peaceful solution.

The Polisario challenges the UN mediator

On October 13, 2026, following closed-door consultations at the Security Council, the Polisario Front issued a statement challenging the neutrality of the Secretary-General's personal envoy, Staffan de Mistura, whom it accuses of leaning toward the Moroccan autonomy plan. "A mediator cannot decide the future of a people in advance," the movement stated, as quoted by Africanews. The Polisario says it is not leaving the negotiating table but is demanding a change in approach that places self-determination at the center, and it deems MINURSO "indispensable."

This standoff concerns the legacy of Security Council Resolution 2797, adopted in October 2025, which makes the Moroccan autonomy proposal the basis for discussions while maintaining the goal of a solution accepted by the parties that provides for self-determination. Three rounds of direct talks involving Morocco, the Polisario, Algeria, and Mauritania were held in Washington and Madrid in January and February 2026.

Sahrawi refugees funded at 8%

Behind the legal battle lies a budgetary reality: the 2026-2027 humanitarian response plan for Sahrawi refugees requires 179 million dollars. As of June 30, 2026, only 15 million had been secured for the year, representing 8% of the needs. The Secretary-General's report also notes the persistence of low-intensity hostilities on the ground.

The Security Council is expected to vote in the coming weeks on the extension of the mandate for MINURSO, the mission tasked with organizing a referendum that has never taken place.