Decolonization

The Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) today heard the last of more than 200 petitioners who had registered to speak during this session on the situations in the 17 Non-Self-Governing Territories.

Peace, human rights and development in the Maghreb and Africa are at stake, the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) heard today as petitioners continued to testify about the historical and geopolitical issues critical to the question of Western Sahara.

The situation in Western Sahara, the last colony in Africa, took centre stage today in the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) as petitioners from both sides shared conflicting accounts of the human rights situation in the Territory.

The United Nations must listen to the people on the ground in the 17 Non-Self-Governing Territories, the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) heard today from elected officials and petitioners from British Virgin Islands, French Polynesia, Gibraltar, New Caledonia, and Guam who detailed long years of colonial occupation as well as new horizons of progress.

“It is unacceptable to prolong the decolonization processes of the 17 existing Non-Self-Governing Territories,” Costa Rica’s delegate said today as the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) began its general debate on decolonization and related agenda items.

The Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) approved its programme of work for the General Assembly’s seventy-ninth session today, with topics ranging from the decolonization of the 17 remaining Non-Self-Governing Territories to the work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

The United Nations Special Committee on Decolonization, currently chaired by Menissa Rambally (Saint Lucia), will undertake a visiting mission to the British Virgin Islands from 26 to 27 August.

CARACAS, 16 May – The 2024 Caribbean Regional Seminar on Decolonization concluded today with “consensus around the principle of self-determination and sovereignty and independence”. This was according to Yvan Gil Pinto, Minister of the People’s Power for Foreign Affairs of Venezuela.

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message for the opening of the 2024 Regional Seminar on Decolonization, in Caracas, 14 May:

CARACAS, 15 May — Participants of the 2024 Caribbean Regional Seminar continued their deliberations on day two, reflecting on the Seminar’s theme “Pursuing goals and addressing needs of the Non-Self-Governing Territories”. Discussions centred around four agenda items.