Colonial powers and their supporters
try to justify in humanitarian, economic, social and cultural terms…
This colonial system was imposed by force on many peoples of many races and religions…
And we are continuing to try and solve the problems with the methods that are available to us.
Join us in our efforts to eradicate colonialism in all its forms and manifestations
from the face of the earth.
... can usher in a new era of hope and good optimism ...
Since its founding, the United Nations has been engaged in decolonization processes around the globe,
and that work continues today, as 17 Non-Self-Governing Territories remain.
The United Nations will continue to assist, but all should play their role –
the administering Powers, Non-Self-Governing Territories,
Member States and the Special Committee on Decolonization.
When the UN was formed at the end of World War II,
72 Non-Self-Governing Territories (NSGTs) and 11 Trust Territories
were identified as under the control of administering authorities.
In 1994, Palau, the last remaining Trust Territory, gained independence.
But as of 2020, 17 NSGTs yet remain.
Today, the majority are islands in the Caribbean and Pacific.
The United Nations remains steadfast in its efforts to end colonialism around the world.
Let’s take a look at a quick history of the United Nations and decolonization.
Chapter XI of the Founding Charter of the UN
addresses the issue of Non-Self-Governing Territories directly.
It highlights the responsibilities of the administering Powers
to promote the well-being of the inhabitants of the Territories and to develop their self-government.
It also obliges administering Powers to give information about their Territories to the Secretary-General.
This is reflected in annual Working Papers
prepared by the Decolonization Unit in the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs.
Beginning in the 1960s, the General Assembly’s resolve
to support decolonization strengthened even further.
A series of resolutions were passed that sought to assist the peoples of the Territories
to achieve self-determination according to their particular circumstances.
The first, Resolution 1514, has come to be known as the Declaration on Decolonization.
Further resolutions identified the ways
in which peoples of these Territories can achieve self-government.
They include becoming a sovereign and independent State,
free association with an independent State, integration into an independent State,
or the emergence of any other political status freely determined by a people.
The Special Committee on Decolonization is commonly referred to as the C-24
because of its original composition of 24 Member States.
As a subsidiary organ of the UN General Assembly,
the C-24 is devoted to monitoring and making recommendations regarding NSGTs.
Today, the C-24 holds regional seminars on decolonization
in either the Pacific or Caribbean every May.
And for two weeks in June, they hold a substantive session
in New York to examine the situations in the Territories in depth,
and the issue of decolonization in general.
These meetings allow the C-24 to hear views of the NSGTs,
the administering Powers, and other stakeholders and petitioners on the decolonization process.
The recommendations that come out of the substantive session of the C-24
are submitted to the Fourth Committee of the General Assembly,
which in turn considers the recommendations and submits draft resolutions and decisions
to the General Assembly plenary for adoption at the end of the year.
Additionally, institutional support for NSGTs from UN entities, specialized agencies
and international organizations associated with the UN is important and kept under consideration
by the C-24 and the UN Economic and Social Council.
With the consent of the administering Power, the C-24 can dispatch a visiting mission
to observe conditions on the ground and gather first-hand information.
These visiting missions enhance the capacity of the United Nations
to assist the peoples of the Non-Self-Governing Territories.
Recognized as an important tool, the General Assembly has requested
that the C-24 undertake at least one visiting mission per year.
As an example, in 2019 at the Territory’s request, the C-24 sent a visiting mission to Montserrat,
still recovering from a devastating series of volcanic eruptions that began in 1995.
The visiting mission held meetings with key members of the government,
representatives from civil society and other stakeholders.
In this way the C-24 is able to report on the needs of the Territories.
When the United Nations was established, 750 million people –
nearly one-third of the world’s population at that time –
lived in territories that were dependent on colonial Powers.
As of 2020, nearly 2 million people continue to live in Non-Self-Governing Territories,
the majority of which are on small islands that face the added challenges
of sea level rise and increasingly destructive natural disasters.
While major strides have taken place,
decolonization continues to be a priority for the United Nations.
Through determination, perseverance, pragmatism and continued cooperation and coordination,
the United Nations is committed to the complete eradication of colonialism once and for all.