The United Nations General Assembly will convene on November 10 to examine the Russian and American vetoes that blocked competing Security Council resolutions on the Sahara, leaving MINURSO without a renewed mandate after 35 years.
General Assembly President Khalilur Rahman announced the meeting in a November 2 letter to member states and permanent observers.
The session will begin at 10 a.m. New York time under agenda item 62, “Use of the veto,” allowing UN members to examine the October 30 Security Council deadlock and its consequences.
The meeting follows Russia’s veto of a US-drafted resolution that received 11 votes in favor and three abstentions.
The American proposal sought to reshape MINURSO’s mandate and place Morocco’s autonomy initiative under Moroccan sovereignty at the center of future negotiations.
A competing Russian proposal to extend MINURSO’s existing mandate for another year received only three votes in favor, 11 abstentions and one negative vote from the United States.
The Russian text therefore failed to secure the nine affirmative votes required for adoption, independently of Washington’s veto.
What can the General Assembly do?
The meeting will take place under Resolution 76/262, adopted in April 2022, which requires a General Assembly debate within 10 working days whenever a permanent Security Council member exercises its veto.
The mechanism gives the countries responsible for the vetoes priority to explain their positions before the wider UN membership.
It also requires the Security Council to submit a special report on the veto.
However, the General Assembly cannot overturn either vote, revive the rejected resolutions or independently renew MINURSO’s mandate through this procedure.
The debate will instead provide a diplomatic forum for member states to assess the competing proposals and the future UN role in the Sahara.
MINURSO enters liquidation
The meeting comes after MINURSO’s mandate expired October 31, prompting the United Nations to begin liquidation procedures on November 1.
The process involves withdrawing personnel, closing installations and managing the mission’s equipment and outstanding obligations.
MINURSO’s closure does not automatically terminate the UN-led political process, including mediation efforts by Secretary-General António Guterres’ personal envoy, Staffan de Mistura.
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