UNITED NATIONS — The United Nations General Assembly will hold a plenary meeting on Nov. 10 on a veto cast in the Security Council over Western Sahara, General Assembly President Khalilur Rahman said in a letter dated Nov. 2.
A permanent member cast the veto at the Council’s 10,260th meeting on Oct. 30, under the agenda item “the situation concerning Western Sahara,” the letter said. Resolution 76/262 requires the Assembly to meet after any veto.
Key facts
- Russia vetoed a U.S.-drafted resolution on the UN mission in Western Sahara, MINURSO, political.org reported.
- The U.S. draft received 11 votes in favor, one against and three abstentions, the outlet reported.
- A rival Russian draft for a one-year extension received three votes in favor and failed, the outlet reported.
- MINURSO’s mandate was due to expire on Oct. 31, the outlet reported.
The two drafts
China, Pakistan and Somalia abstained on the U.S. text, political.org reported. The United States voted against the Russian draft, and 11 members abstained, the outlet reported.
The U.S. draft would have supported Morocco’s sovereignty claim over the territory and restructured the mission, political.org reported. Russia’s ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, objected to the sovereignty language, the outlet reported.
A U.S. delegate called the draft “a good faith attempt” to make the mission fit for purpose, political.org reported.
Reactions
Morocco’s royal palace called the non-renewal a “significant development,” political.org reported. The Polisario Front’s UN representative, Sidi Omar, had warned before the vote that the U.S. text would “trigger further tension and instability,” the outlet reported.
The vote tallies and reactions come from a single outlet’s account. The Boston Report could not check them against the Security Council’s official record. The UN letter confirms the veto, its date and the Nov. 10 meeting.
Related coverage
Sources
- United Nations, Office of the President of the General Assembly, letter on the veto initiative meeting, Nov. 2, 2026
- political.org, “UN Security Council rejects rival US and Russian Western Sahara resolutions, leaving MINURSO mandate to lapse,” Oct. 31, 2026
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