The end of the MINURSO mandate and the future of the Sahrawi refugees

CISP expresses deep concern over the non-renewal of the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), resulting from the recent UN Security Council vote on October 30.

The absence of a mandate risks reigniting the conflict and further penalizing the refugee population, whose conditions are already exacerbated by drastically reduced humanitarian aid.

The urgency of providing humanitarian support to the vulnerable population must remain unquestioned and must not replace political solutions, which we hope will be confirmed as aligned and consistent with the principle of self-determination for the Sahrawi people as recognized by UN resolutions.