Western Sahara
UN Documents

Security Council Resolutions

S/RES/1979 (27 April 2011) renewed MINURSO’s mandate until 30 April 2012.
• S/RES/1920 (30 April 2010) renewed  the mandate of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) until 30 April 2011, the Secretary-General urged both parties to the dispute, Morocco and Frente Polisario, to continue to negotiate in good faith and without any preconditions under the auspices of his personal envoy Christopher Ross.
• S/RES/1871 (30 April 2009) renewed  the mandate of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) until 30 April 2010, welcomed the parties' agreement to hold small, informal talks in preparation for a fifth round of negotiations and called on them to continue to show political will to enter into a "more intensive and substantive phase of negotiations".
• S/RES/1813 (30 April 2008) renewed the mandate of MINURSO until 30 April 2009 and endorsed the Secretary-General's recommendation that realism and a spirit of compromise by the parties were essential to maintain the momentum of the process of negotiations.
• S/RES/1783 (31 October 2007) renewed MINURSO's mandate until 30 April 2008 and called on the parties to continue to show political will and engage in substantive negotiations without preconditions and in good faith.
• S/RES/1754 (30 April 2007) called for negotiations without preconditions and extended MINURSO's mandate by six months.
• S/RES/1720 (31 October 2006) extended MINURSO's mandate until 30 April 2007.
• S/RES/1675 (28 April 2006) extended MINURSO's mandate until 31 October 2006.
• S/RES/1634 (28 October 2005) extended MINURSO's mandate until 30 April 2006 and requested the Secretary-General's Personal Envoy to provide a briefing within three months.
• S/RES/1598 (28 April 2005) extended MINURSO's mandate until 31 October 2005.
• S/RES/1495 (31 July 2003) supported the peace plan proposed by James Baker as an optimum solution on the basis of agreement between the parties.
• S/RES/690 (29 April 1991) established the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO).
• S/RES/658 (27 June 1990) endorsed the settlement proposals.
• S/RES/621 (20 September 1988) authorised the appointment of a Special Representative to Western Sahara.
• S/RES/380 (6 November 1975) deplored Morocco's movement into the territory.
• S/RES/377 (22 October 1975) requested the Secretary-General to consult with the parties.

Secretary-General's Reports

• S/2011/249 (1 April 2011)
• S/2010/175 (6 April 2010)
• S/2009/200 (13 April 2009)
• S/2008/251 (14 April 2008)
• S/2008/45 (28 January 2008)
• S/2007/619 (19 October 2007)
• S/2007/385 (29 June 2007)
• S/2007/202 (13 April 2007)
• S/2006/817 (16 October 2006)
• S/2006/249 (19 April 2006)
• S/2005/648 (13 October 2005)
• A/60/116 (12 July 2005)
• S/2005/254 (19 April 2005)
• S/2005/49 (27 January 2005)

 Letters to the President of the Council

• S/2009/197 (13 April 2009) was a letter from Morocco informing the Council of actions committed by Polisario "in flagrant violation" of the ceasefire and criticising the "passive attitude" of MINURSO in this regard.
• S/2008/348 (27 May 2008) was a letter from Morocco protesting political demonstrations held by Polisario, as well as the presence of troops, in the Tifariti zone east of the berm separating areas under Moroccan and Polisario control.
• S/2007/714 (6 December 2007) was a letter from Morocco complaining that the Polisario’s congress due to take place from 14 to 18 December in the buffer strip was a breach of the ceasefire agreement.
• S/2007/210 (16 April 2007) was a letter from South Africa to the Council transmitting the Polisario plan.
• S/2007/206 (11 April 2007) was a letter from Morocco to the Council transmitting the Moroccan plan.
• S/2006/466 (30 June 2006) letter from the Secretary-General reminding the Council of its recommendations and expecting progress on the impasse.
• S/2006/266 (27 April 2006) letter from Namibia describing the Secretary-General's approach as an "attempt to legalize the occupation of Western Sahara."
• S/2006/258 (24 April 2006) letter from Algeria reiterating that a solution had to be found on the basis of Baker Plan II.
• S/2006/84 (8 February 2006) letter from Namibia including a letter from the Polisario reiterating its position.
• S/2006/52 (27 January 2006) letter from Morocco on Polisario's activities in the buffer strip.
• S/2005/605 (27 September 2005) letter from Algeria responding to Morocco's criticisms in S/2005/602.
• S/2005/602 (23 September 2005) letter from Morocco criticizing Algeria with regard to the conflict in Western Sahara.

Exchange of Letters between the Secretary-General and the President of the Council

• S/2011/460 (26 July 2011) was the President of the Council’s letter to the Secretary-General acknowledging the receipt of his earlier letter to the Council.
• S/2011/459 (22 July 2011) was the Secretary-General’s letter to the President of the Council informing the Council of his intention to appoint Maj. Gen. Abdul Hafiz (Bangladesh) as force commander of MINURSO.
• S/2009/19 (6 January 2009) and S/2009/20 (8 January 2009) on the appontment of Christopher Ross as the Secretary-General's Personal Envoy for Western Sahara.
• S/2007/509 (22 August 2007) and S/2007/510 (27 August 2007) on the appointment of General Zhao Jingmin as MINURSO's new force commander.
• S/2007/55  (31 January 2007) and S/2007/56 (5 February 2007) on the appointment of Julian Harston as the new Special Representative for Western Sahara and Head of UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO).
• S/2004/492 (15 June 2004) announced the resignation of Baker and charged Álvaro de Soto with the task to continue the political process.
• S/1997/236 (17 March 1997) appointed James Baker as Personal Envoy to Western Sahara.

Other

SC/10234 (27 April 2011) was a press release reporting the extension of MINURSO’s mandate.
S/PV.6516 (18 April 2011) was the official communiqué of the closed meeting between the Council and the troop- and police-contributing countries to MINURSO.
S/2011/207 (30 March 2011) was a letter to the Council President from Morocco concerning implementation of the provisions of resolution 1920.
A communiqué (9 November 2010) was issued by Ross with the agreement of the parties after the third informal round of talks.
S/PV.6305 (30 April 2010) was the Council meeting extending MINRUSO's mandate.
S/PV.6295 (9 April 2010) was a meeting with troop and police contributing countries.
SG/SM/12734 (2 February 2010) was the Secretary-General's statement welcoming the parties’ agreement to the UN proposal regarding the upcoming meeting in February 2010. S/PV.6117 (30 April 2009) was the Council meeting adopting resolution 1871.
SG/SM/12677 (18 December 2009) was the Secretary-General's statement welcoming the end to Western Sahara human rights activist’s hunger strike.
S/2009/526 (6 October 2009) was the letter from the Secretary-General to the Council expressing his intention to appoint Hany Abdel-Azis as his Special Representative for Western Sahara and Head of MINURSO.
S/P.V.6117(30 April 2009) was the Council meeting extending MINRUSO's mandate. 
 A/63/871-S/2009/198 (9 April 2009) was a letter from a representative of the Polisario Front addressed to the President of Security Council. 
 S/2009/19  (6 January 2009) was the letter from the Secretary-General to the Council expressing his intention to appoint Christopher Ross as his new personal envoy for Western Sahara.
S/2008/348  (27 May 2008) was a letter from Morocco protesting political demonstrations held by the Polisario Front, as well as the presence of troops in the Tifariti zone east of the berm separating areas under Moroccan and Polisario Front control.
S/P.V.5884 ( 30 April 2008) was the Council meeting adopting resolution 1813.
A communiqué (18 March 2008) was issued by van Walsum with the agreement of the parties after the fourth round of talks.
SC/9241 (4 February 2008) was a press statement welcoming the Secretary-General's report, supporting the next round of talks and agreeing on the need to move the process into a more substantive phase of negotiations.
S/PV.5773 (31 October 2007) was the Council meeting adopting resolution 1784.
SC/9076 (11 July 2007) was a press statement supporting the agreement that negotiations would continue in August after a first round of talks in Manhasset on 18-19 June.
S/2006/129 (24 February 2006) Note verbale from Morocco to the Secretary-General on the provocative nature of a planned demonstration by the other parties.
Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice  (16 October 1975)
A/1514(XV)  (14 December 1960) Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples.