MINURSO has begun winding down its presence in Western Sahara, with staff instructed to stay home, official vehicles parked and Moroccan employees facing contract termination, according to multiple reports from Laayoune.
The mission told personnel to park official vehicles, remain at home and not report to their workplaces until further notice, according to an internal communication reported by Hespress. On Sunday, the mission’s headquarters in Laayoune’s Al Massira district was operating at reduced activity with its doors closed, a heavy security presence around the building and most of the mission’s vehicles gathered at its industrial-zone depot, Médias24 reported from the scene.
A closed-door meeting of senior MINURSO officials was held on Saturday at the Laayoune headquarters to discuss withdrawal arrangements, and the Secretary-General’s end-of-mandate statement was circulated to all staff on Sunday, a source close to the matter told Yabiladi. Staff currently on leave have been instructed not to return, and the termination of contracts for Moroccan personnel has been announced, raising questions about compensation and end-of-service arrangements.
The mission’s January 2026 budget lists a fleet of 350 vehicles, three aircraft and communications infrastructure serving 13 locations, assets that now face an uncertain handover. Morocco’s Royal Cabinet said Friday that MINURSO’s personnel, vehicles, equipment and symbols should leave the southern provinces in the coming days, while Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita said Morocco would guarantee an organized withdrawal.
The United Nations has said a smaller team reporting to the UN Department of Operational Support will oversee the disposal of UN equipment during the liquidation period, which began Sunday after the Security Council failed to renew the mission’s 35-year mandate.
Related: UN Begins MINURSO Liquidation as 35-Year Mission Ends.
Sources: Hespress English; Médias24; Yabiladi English.
Featured image: MINURSO headquarters in Laayoune. Photo: cingularite, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.