Morocco Marks Green March Anniversary After UN Mission Ends

Morocco commemorated the 51st anniversary of the Green March on November 6, days after the United Nations mission in Western Sahara ceased operations. The foreign ministry marked the anniversary as a symbol of the relationship between the monarchy and the Moroccan people, while the UN has reaffirmed Western Saharans' right to self-determination. In its account of the anniversary, the Moroccan government said approximately 350,000 volunteers joined the march on November 6, 1975, answering King Hassan II's call. It also recalled the raising of the Moroccan flag in Laayoune on February 28, 1976. Those accounts reflect Morocco's position on the territory, whose future remains the subject of UN diplomacy. UN Secretary-General António Guterres said the departure of MINURSO, the UN mission established in 1991, "does not abrogate these inalienable rights." His statement confirmed that the mission stopped operating after the Security Council did not renew its mandate. He paid tribute to its 35 years of service and to 20 mission personnel who died during its deployment, and urged restraint amid the risk of renewed escalation. The UN's liquidation period began on November 1, 2026. A smaller team under the Department of Operational Support is handling the return of contributing countries' assets and the disposal of UN equipment. The UN said it would continue supporting dialogue through Guterres's personal envoy, Staffan de Mistura.