DR ‹ › United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has aligned with U.S. calls to reduce funding for peacekeeping operations. He has proposed to the UN General Assembly a budget of $62.7 million for MINURSO for the period from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027, an 11.3% decrease compared to the 2025–2026 fiscal year. The proposed reduction comes as the Secretary-General is required, under Resolution 2797 adopted on October 31, to submit a «strategic review of the future mandate of MINURSO, taking into account the outcome of negotiations» between the parties. The review is expected to be presented to the Security Council next April. Those discussions were initiated under the administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump, with meetings held on February 8 and 9 at the U.S. Embassy in Madrid, followed by further talks on February 23 and 24 in Washington. Last week, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a strong warning regarding UN peacekeeping missions. «The Department will lead efforts to end costly and ineffective peacekeeping and special political missions worldwide», he stated in an official document outlining U.S. foreign policy priorities for the 2026–2030 period. MINURSO has been in operation since 1991.
