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The Security Council adopted a resolution Friday to extend for one year the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara or MINURSO, emphasizing “the urgent need for the mission to return to full functionality.”
Calling upon all parties to cooperate fully with the MINURSO’s operations, the Council, by a vote of 10 in favour to two against (Venezuela and Uruguay), with three abstentions (Angola, New Zealand and Russia), extended the mission’s mandate until 30 April 2017.
Last month, Morocco has requested the downsizing of MINURSO to express its discontent with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's use of the word "occupation" during his visit to the region.
The territory of Western Sahara has been contested by Morocco, Mauritania and the Frente Polisario, supported by Algeria, since colonial power Spain withdrew from it in 1976.
OPINION: 40 Years In, Western Sahara Can Count on Cuba, Latin America
The illegal occupation by Morocco over the Western Sahara has led to a refugee crisis with at to 200,000 stateless people that have been living in impoverished conditions for about 40 years.
The Sahrawi refugees depend on the goodwill of international communities. In the meantime, their families are back home in the occupied territory.
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