Equatorial Guinea denounces UN veto use
A UN peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara has ended after Russia vetoed a US proposal.
Equatorial Guinea on Tuesday, November 10, told the UN General Assembly in New York that the use of the veto power by permanent members has ended the UN peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara. The mission's mandate expired on October 31, 2026, after Russia blocked a US-backed resolution to renew it. A counter-proposal by Moscow also failed to gain enough support.
The veto created a legal and operational vacuum, affecting both the local population and contributing countries, according to Ndong Mba, Equatorial Guinea's representative. He stated that it was a historical anomaly for two non-African permanent members to decide the fate of a mission deployed in Africa on an African issue. Mba argued that veto use should protect international peace and security for all 193 UN members, not serve particular interests.
Equatorial Guinea supports the African Common Position on Security Council reform, including two permanent seats for Africa with veto power. The country backs UN envoy Staffan de Mistura's diplomatic efforts and views Morocco's autonomy proposal as a basis for a peaceful political solution. Algeria insists the conflict remains a decolonization issue, while Namibia and South Africa expressed regret over the mission's end and solidarity with the Sahrawi people.
Why it mattersThe end of the UN peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara creates a legal and operational vacuum affecting the region's stability.