Security Council resolution 2414 (2018) [on extension of the mandate of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) until 31 Oct. 2018]
Symbol: S/RES/2414 (2018)
Date: 2018-04-27
Status: adopted
Agenda: S/73 [45] UN MISSION FOR THE REFERENDUM IN WESTERN SAHARA
S/73 [44] WESTERN SAHARA QUESTION
S/ X The situation concerning Western Sahara.
Subjects: UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara|UN. Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara|PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS|WESTERN SAHARA|NEGOTIATION|PEACE AGREEMENTS|WESTERN SAHARA QUESTION
Votes in favour: 12
Votes against: 0
Abstentions: 3
Voting record:
country: BOLIVIA (PLURINATIONAL STATE OF)
vote: yes
country: CHINA
vote: abstention
country: CÔTE D'IVOIRE
vote: yes
country: EQUATORIAL GUINEA
vote: yes
country: ETHIOPIA
vote: abstention
country: FRANCE
vote: yes
country: KAZAKHSTAN
vote: yes
country: KUWAIT
vote: yes
country: NETHERLANDS
vote: yes
country: PERU
vote: yes
country: POLAND
vote: yes
country: RUSSIAN FEDERATION
vote: abstention
country: SWEDEN
vote: yes
country: UNITED KINGDOM
vote: yes
country: UNITED STATES
vote: yes

               United Nations                                                                      S/RES/2414 (2018)
               Security Council                                                  Distr.: General
                                                                                 27 April 2018




               Resolution 2414 (2018)
               Adopted by the Security Council at its 8246th meeting, on
               27 April 2018

                    The Security Council,
                    Recalling and reaffirming all its previous resolutions on Western Sahara,
                    Reaffirming its strong support for the efforts of the Secretary-General and his
               Personal Envoy to implement resolutions 1754 (2007), 1783 (2007), 1813 (2008),
               1871 (2009), 1920 (2010), 1979 (2011), 2044 (2012), 2099 (2013), 2152 (2014), 2218
               (2015), 2285 (2016), and 2351 (2017),
                     Expressing full support for the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Western
               Sahara, former President Horst Köhler of Germany, and welcoming the engagement
               of the parties and neighboring states with him in his efforts to facilitate negotiations,
                     Reaffirming its commitment to assist the parties to achieve a just, lasting, and
               mutually acceptable political solution, which will provide for the self -determination
               of the people of Western Sahara in the context of arrangements consistent with the
               principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations, and noting the role and
               responsibilities of the parties in this respect,
                     Reiterating its call upon the parties and the neighboring states to cooperate more
               fully with the United Nations and with each other and to strengthen their involvement
               and to achieve progress towards a political solution,
                     Recognizing that achieving a political solution to this long-standing dispute and
               enhanced cooperation between the Member States of the Maghreb Arab Union would
               contribute to stability and security, in turn leading to jobs, growth and opportunities
               for all the peoples in the Sahel region,
                    Welcoming the efforts of the Secretary-General to keep all peacekeeping
               operations, including the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western
               Sahara (MINURSO), under close review and reiterating the need for the Council to
               pursue a rigorous, strategic approach to peacekeeping deployments, and effective
               management of resources,
                     Recalling its request of the Secretary-General to ensure that data related to the
               effectiveness of peacekeeping operations, including peacekeeping performance data,
               is used to improve analytics and the evaluation of mission operations, based on clear
               and well identified benchmarks, emphasizing the need to regularly evaluate
               MINURSO’s performance such that the mission retains the skills and flexibility




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               needed to effectively carry out its mandate, and noting, in this regard, plans for an
               independent review of the mission later in the year,
                   Recalling resolution 2242 (2015) and its aspiration to increase the number of
               women in military and police contingents of United Nations peacekeeping operations,
                     Recognizing the important role played by MINURSO on the ground and the need
               for it to fully implement its mandate, including its role in supporting the Personal
               Envoy to achieve a mutually acceptable political solution,
                     Expressing concern about the violations of existing agreements, and calling on
               the parties to respect their relevant obligations, and refrain from any actions that could
               destabilize the situation or threaten the UN process, and recognizing the measured
               response of Morocco to most recent concerns regarding the buffer strip,
                    Taking note of the Moroccan proposal presented on 11 April 2007 to the
               Secretary-General and welcoming serious and credible Moroccan efforts to move the
               process forward towards resolution; also taking note of the Polisario Front proposal
               presented 10 April 2007 to the Secretary-General,
                     Encouraging in this context, the parties to demonstrate further political will
               towards a solution including by expanding upon their discussion of each other ’s
               proposals and recommitting to UN efforts in a spirit of realism and compromise, and
               further encouraging the neighboring countries to make contributions to the political
               process,
                    Taking note of the four rounds of negotiations held under the auspices of the
               Secretary-General and recognizing the importance of the parties committing to
               advance the negotiations process without preconditions and in good faith,
                     Encouraging the parties to cooperate further with the United Nations Office of
               the High Commissioner for Refugees in identifying and implementing confidencebuilding measures that can serve to foster the trust necessary for a successful political
               process,
                     Stressing the importance of improving the human rights situation in Western
               Sahara and the Tindouf camps, and encouraging the parties to work with the
               international community to develop and implement independent and credible
               measures to ensure full respect for human rights, bearing in mind their relevant
               obligations under international law,
                   Encouraging the parties to continue in their respective efforts to enhance the
               promotion and protection of human rights in Western Sahara and the Tindouf refugee
               camps, including the freedoms of expression and association,
                    Welcoming in this regard, steps and initiatives taken by Morocco, and the role
               played by the National Council on Human Rights Commissions operating in Dakhla
               and Laayoune, and Morocco’s interaction with Special Procedures of the United
               Nations Human Rights Council,
                     Strongly encouraging enhancing cooperation with the Office of the United
               Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), including through
               facilitating visits to the region,
                     Noting with deep concern the continued hardships faced by Sahrawi refugees
               and their dependency on external humanitarian assistance, and further noting
               insufficient funding for those living in Tindouf refugee camps and the risks associated
               with the reduction of food assistance,
                    Reiterating its request for consideration of a refugee registration in the Tindouf
               refugee camps and emphasizing efforts be made in this regard,


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                 Recalling United Nations Security Council resolutions 1325 and 2250 and
           related resolutions; stressing the importance of a commitment by the parties to
           continue the process of negotiations through the United Nations -sponsored talks and
           encouraging the full, effective and meaningful participation of women and active and
           meaningful participation of youth in these talks,
                Recognizing that the status quo is not acceptable, and noting further that
           progress in negotiations is essential in order to improve the quality of life of the
           people of Western Sahara in all its aspects,
                 Welcoming the appointment of Colin Stewart as the Special Representative of
           the Secretary-General for Western Sahara and Head of MINURSO and affirming its
           full support for him in this capacity,
                Having considered the report of the Secretary-General of 29 March 2018
           (S/2018/277),
                1.    Decides to extend the mandate of MINURSO until 31 October 2018;
                2.    Emphasizes the need to make progress toward a realistic, practicable and
           enduring political solution to the question of Western Sahara based on compromise
           and the importance of aligning the strategic focus of MINURSO and orienting
           resources of the United Nations to this end;
                 3.   Calls upon the parties to resume negotiations under the auspices of the
           Secretary-General without preconditions and in good faith, taking into account the
           efforts made since 2006 and subsequent developments with a view to achieving a just,
           lasting, and mutually acceptable political solution, which will provide for the selfdetermination of the people of Western Sahara in the context of arrangements
           consistent with the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations, and
           noting the role and responsibilities of the parties in this r espect;
                 4.    Further calls upon the neighboring states to make important contributions
           to the political process and to increase their engagement in the negotiating process;
                5.    Invites Member States to lend appropriate assistance to these talks;
                6.    Reaffirms the need for full respect of the military agreements reached with
           MINURSO with regard to the ceasefire and calls on the parties to adhere fully to
           those agreements;
                  7.  Expresses concern with the presence of the Polisario Front in the buffer
           strip in Guerguerat and calls for its immediate withdrawal;
                8.    Expresses concern regarding the Polisario Front’s announcement of the
           planned relocation of administrative functions to Bir Lahlou, and calls for the
           Polisario Front to refrain from any such destabilizing actions;
                 9.    Recognizes that fundamental questions related to the ceasefire and related
           agreements remain and calls upon the Secretary-General to interview the parties in
           an effort to better understand these issues;
                10. Calls upon all parties to cooperate fully with the operations of MINURSO,
           including its free interaction with all interlocutors, and to take the necessary steps to
           ensure the security of as well as unhindered movement and immediate access for the
           United Nations and associated personnel in carrying out their mandate, in conformity
           with existing agreements;
                 11. Emphasizes the importance of a renewed commitment by the parties to
           advancing the political process in preparation for a fifth round of negotiations, recalls
           its endorsement of the recommendation in the report of 14 April 2008 (S/2008/251)
           that realism and a spirit of compromise by the parties are essential to achieve progress

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               in negotiations, and encourages the neighboring countries to make important
               contributions to this process;
                     12. Calls upon the parties to show political will and work in an atmosphere
               propitious for dialogue in order to resume negotiations, thus ensuring implementation
               of resolutions 1754 (2007), 1783 (2007), 1813 (2008), 1871 (2009), 1920 (2010),
               1979 (2011), 2044 (2012), 2099 (2013), 2152 (2014), 2218 (2015), 2285 (2016), and
               2351 (2017) and the success of negotiations;
                     13. Affirms its full support for the intention of the Secretary-General and his
               Personal Envoy in this context to relaunch the negotiations with a new dynamic and
               a new spirit with the aim of reaching a mutually acceptable political solution, which
               will provide for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara in the context
               of arrangements consistent with the principles and purposes o f the Charter of the
               United Nations;
                     14. Requests the Secretary-General to brief the Security Council on a regular
               basis, and at any time he deems appropriate during the mandate period, on the status
               and progress of these negotiations under his auspices, on the implementation of this
               resolution, challenges to MINURSO’s operations and steps taken to address them,
               expresses its intention to meet to receive and discuss his briefings and in this regard,
               further requests the Secretary-General to provide a report on the situation in Western
               Sahara well before the end of the mandate period;
                     15. Welcomes the initiatives undertaken by the Secretary General to
               standardize a culture of performance in UN peacekeeping, and calls on him to
               continue his efforts to develop an integrated performance policy framework and apply
               it to MINURSO, requests the Secretary-General to seek to increase the number of
               women in MINURSO, as well as to ensure the meaningful participation of women in
               all aspects of operations;
                    16. Urges MINURSO to continue to consider how new technologies can be
               used to reduce risk, improve force protection, and better implement its mandate;
                     17. Encourages the parties to cooperate with the Office of the United Nations
               High Commissioner for Refugees to identify and implement confidence -building
               measures, including to engage women and youth, and encourages neighboring states
               to support these efforts;
                     18. Urges Member States to provide new and additional voluntary
               contributions to fund food programmes to ensure that the humanitarian needs of
               refugees are adequately addressed and avoid reductions in food rations;
                     19. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to take the necessary measures
               to ensure full compliance in MINURSO with the United Nations zero -tolerance policy
               on sexual exploitation and abuse and to keep the Council informed, and urges troop -
               contributing countries to take appropriate preventive action including predeployment
               awareness training, and other action to ensure full accountability in cases of such
               conduct involving their personnel;
                    20.   Decides to remain seized of the matter.




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