The United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara is the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara, established in 1991 under United Nations Security Council Resolution 690 as part of the Settlement Plan, which had paved way for a cease-fire in the conflict between Morocco and the Polisario Front over the contested territory of Western Sahara.
The Houston Agreement was the result of negotiations between the Polisario Front and Morocco on the organization of a referendum, which would constitute an expression of self-determination for the people of Western Sahara, possibly leading to full independence or integration within Morocco. The talks were conducted during 1997 in Houston, United States, under the auspices of United Nations representative James Baker, using the framework of the 1991 Settlement Plan. The agreement was supposed to lead to a referendum in 1998, after it had been prevented from taking place in 1992 as originally envisioned.
The Settlement Plan was an agreement between the ethnically Saharawi Polisario Front and Morocco on the organization of a referendum, which would constitute an expression of self-determination for the people of Western Sahara, leading either to full independence, or integration with the Kingdom of Morocco. It resulted in a cease-fire which remains effective to this day, and the establishment of the MINURSO peace force to oversee it and to organize the referendum. The referendum never occurred.
United Nations Security Council resolution 1495, adopted unanimously on 31 July 2003, after recalling all previous resolutions on the situation in Western Sahara, particularly Resolution 1429 (2002), the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) until 31 October 2003 and supported the Baker Plan put forth by James Baker III, who was at that time the Special Representative for Western Sahara of the Secretary-General Kofi Annan, as a replacement of the 1991 Settlement Plan. The resolution, adopted after significant changes to the original draft, was welcomed by the Polisario Front, which supported the Baker Plan, but not by Morocco, which resisted it.
The Manhasset negotiations were a series of talks that took place in four rounds in 2007–2008 at Manhasset, New York between the Moroccan government and the representatives of the Saharawi liberation movement, the Polisario Front to resolve the Western Sahara conflict. They were considered the first direct negotiations in seven years between the two parties. Also present at the negotiations were the neighboring countries of Algeria and Mauritania.
United Nations Security Council resolution 621, adopted unanimously on 20 September 1988, after hearing a joint report by the Secretary-General and Organisation of African Unity (OAU), the Council noted an agreement between Morocco and the Frente Polisario on 30 August 1988 to the joint proposals by the Secretary-General and OAU.
United Nations Security Council resolution 658, adopted unanimously on 27 June 1990, after recalling Resolution 621 (1988) and noting a report by the Secretary-General on the situation in Western Sahara, the Council approved the Secretary-General's recommendations regarding a settlement of the issue.
United Nations Security Council resolution 690, adopted unanimously on 29 April 1991, after recalling resolutions 621 (1988) and 658 (1990) and noting a report by the Secretary-General on the situation in Western Sahara, the Council approved the report and decided to establish the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) in accordance with the Secretary-General's recommendations. The Mission was to implement the Settlement Plan for a referendum of self-determination for the people of Western Sahara.
United Nations Security Council resolution 725, adopted unanimously on 31 December 1991, after recalling resolutions 621 (1988), 658 (1990) and 690 (1991) and noting a report by the Secretary-General on the situation in Western Sahara, the council welcomed the report, supporting his efforts and those of the Organisation of African Unity in the region.
United Nations Security Council resolution 907, adopted unanimously on 29 March 1994, after recalling resolutions 621 (1988), 658 (1990), 690 (1991), 725 (1991) and 809 (1993), the council discussed the Settlement Plan for the Western Sahara.
United Nations Security Council resolution 973, adopted unanimously on 13 January 1995, after recalling resolutions 621 (1988), 658 (1990), 690 (1991), 725 (1991), 809 (1993) and 907 (1994), the Council discussed the Settlement Plan for the Western Sahara and extended the mandate of United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) until 31 May 1995.
United Nations Security Council resolution 995, adopted unanimously on 26 May 1995, after recalling resolutions 621 (1988), 658 (1990), 690 (1991), 725 (1991), 809 (1993), 907 (1994) and 973 (1995), the Council dispatched a mission to the Western Sahara and extended the mandate of United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) until 30 June 1995.
United Nations Security Council resolution 1002, adopted unanimously on 30 June 1995, after recalling resolutions 621 (1988), 658 (1990), 690 (1991), 725 (1991), 809 (1993), 907 (1994), 973 (1995) and 995 (1995), the Council discussed the implementation of the Settlement Plan in Western Sahara and extended the mandate of United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) until 30 September 1995.
United Nations Security Council resolution 1017, adopted unanimously on 22 September 1995, after recalling resolutions 621 (1988), 658 (1990), 690 (1991), 725 (1991), 809 (1993), 907 (1994), 973 (1995), 995 (1995) and 1002 (1995), the Council discussed the implementation of the Settlement Plan in Western Sahara and extended the mandate of United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) until 31 January 1996.
United Nations Security Council resolution 1033, adopted unanimously on 19 December 1995, after reaffirming all previous resolutions on the Western Sahara, the Council discussed the referendum for self-determination of the people of Western Sahara and the completion of the identification process.
United Nations Security Council resolution 1042, adopted unanimously on 31 January 1996, after reaffirming all previous resolutions on the Western Sahara, the Council discussed the Settlement Plan for Western Sahara and extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) until 31 May 1996.
United Nations Security Council resolution 1056, adopted unanimously on 29 May 1996, after reaffirming all previous resolutions on the Western Sahara, the Council discussed the Settlement Plan for Western Sahara, including the suspension of the voter identification process, and extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) until 30 November 1996.
United Nations Security Council resolution 1084, adopted unanimously on 27 November 1996, after reaffirming all previous resolutions on the Western Sahara, the Council discussed the implementation of the Settlement Plan for Western Sahara and extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) until 31 May 1997.
United Nations Security Council resolution 1359, adopted unanimously on 29 June 2001, after recalling all previous resolutions on Western Sahara, in particular Resolution 1108 (1997), the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) until 30 November 2001.
United Nations Security Council resolution 1406, adopted unanimously on 30 April 2002, after recalling all previous resolutions on the situation on Western Sahara, particularly Resolution 1394 (2002), the council extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) until 31 July 2002.
