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File · Moroccan Sahara: from the roots of the conflict to the 2026 negotiations

Moroccan Sahara: Lacroix says MINURSO no longer has a verification role

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At a press briefing in New York on 4 November 2026, Jean-Pierre Lacroix said MINURSO’s task was now to organise its withdrawal and that it no longer had a verification mandate, according to Médias24, which questioned him.

The UN peacekeeping chief said the mission’s positions must be evacuated and its equipment disposed of or transferred. He emphasised cooperation by the parties to carry out the departure and reiterated the appeal for restraint.

The timetable remains an estimate: Hespress and Le360 refer to about two months, while Médias24 reports a few months. No definitive completion date or detailed decision on the installations is established.

These comments clarify withdrawal arrangements. The Royal Cabinet announced the same day that the Interior Ministry’s Coordination Office would support liquidation, while reaffirming Morocco’s ceasefire commitment.

Sources 4
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