| UN Security Council Resolution 1979 | ||
|---|---|---|
 Bomb damage in the town of Tifariti from the Western Sahara conflict | ||
| Date | 27 April 2011 | |
| Meeting no. | 6,523 | |
| Code | S/RES/1979 (Document) | |
| Subject | The situation concerning Western Sahara | |
Voting summary |
| |
| Result | Adopted | |
| Security Council composition | ||
Permanent members | ||
Non-permanent members | ||
| ||
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1979, adopted unanimously on April 27, 2011, after reaffirming all previous resolutions on the Western Sahara including 1754 (2007), 1783 (2007), 1813 (2008), 1871 (2009) and 1920 (2010), the Council discussed prospects for a settlement of the dispute and extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) until April 30, 2012.[1]
The resolution did not include a monitoring mechanism for human rights in the mandate of MINURSO, amid disagreements among diplomats.[2][3] The Security Council was criticised by some nations including South Africa and Nigeria of hypocrisy–where MINURSO would be the only United Nations peacekeeping mission without a human rights mandate.[4] However, it did mention human rights for the first time.[5] Both Morocco and the Polisario Front welcomed the resolution; Morocco praised it for recognizing Morocco's offer of autonomy to Western Sahara, while the Polisario Front noted the increased use of human rights language in the text.[3]
- ^ "Security Council extends mandate of UN Mission for Referendum in Western Sahara until 30 April 2012". United Nations. 27 April 2011.
- ^ "UN Security Council Resolution on Western Sahara". Radio Cadena Agramonte (Cuba). 28 April 2011.
- ^ a b Worsnip, Patrick (28 April 2011). "No rights role yet for UN mission in W. Sahara". Reuters. Archived from the original on 16 August 2011.
- ^ "Security Council accused of hypocrisy over Western Sahara". Scoop.co.nz. 29 April 2011.
- ^ "UN extends peacekeepers in Western Sahara". Taiwan News. 28 April 2011.