UN Decolonization Committee Meets
October 18, 2023
The United Nations Fourth Committee on Decolonization approved nineteen draft resolutions during their recent session.
The United Nations maintains a list of what they deem to be “Non-Self-Governing Territories”, and Bermuda is included, having been listed since 1946; with all the other British Overseas Territories are listed as well. Along with Bermuda, the jurisdictions listed are Western Sahara, Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Montserrat, St. Helena, Turks & Caicos, U.S. Virgin Islands, Gibraltar, American Samoa, French Polynesia, Guam, New Caledonia, Pitcairn, and Tokelau.
Map via the UN website of what they deem to be the “Non-Self-Governing Territories”
The statement on the UN website said, “The Fourth Committee [Special Political and Decolonization] today approved nineteen draft resolutions, including five by recorded vote, as it wrapped up its general debate on decolonization.
“Several of the adopted resolutions are contained in chapter XIII [Recommendations] of the Report of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples for 2023 [document A/78/23].
“They include a draft resolution titled “Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples” which was approved by a recorded vote of 102 in favour to 3 against [Israel, United Kingdom, United States], with 39 abstentions. According to the terms of that text, the General Assembly would call upon the administering Power of each Territory to cooperate fully in the work of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples. It would also call upon administering Powers concerned to terminate military activities and eliminate military bases in the Non-Self-Governing Territories under their administration. Further, it would request the Special Committee to continue to dispatch visiting and special missions to the Territories.”
The spokesperson said, “Speaking in explanation of position, Australia’s representative said her delegation objected to the call on administering Powers to terminate military activities and eliminate military bases. Her country believes in the sovereign rights of nations to defend the Territories they administer, she said.”
“That point was echoed by the representative of the United States who also rejected what he called outdated calls to terminate military activities, while reaffirming his Government’s right to ensure its sovereignty. He added that the five texts put to a vote — at his delegation’s request — put too much weight on independence. “The Territories can speak for themselves,” he said.”
The spokesperson said, “The United Kingdom’s delegate said she found some elements of that draft resolution unacceptable, while the representative of Argentina emphasized that visits and missions are not appropriate in Territories where there is a recognized sovereignty dispute.
“Also approved by a recorded vote was the draft titled “Information from Non-Self-Governing Territories transmitted under Article 73 e of the Charter of the United Nations” was approved by a vote of 135 in favour to 2 against [United States, Israel], with 2 abstentions [France, United Kingdom]. By its terms, the Assembly would request that administering Powers regularly transmit to the Secretary-General statistical and other technical information relating to the economic, social and educational conditions in their Territories.
“The draft resolution titled “Economic and other activities which affect the interests of the peoples of the Non-Self-Governing Territories” was approved by a recorded vote of 135 in favour to 2 against [United States, Israel], with 2 abstentions [France, United Kingdom]. By its terms, the Assembly would express concern about activities aimed at exploiting the natural and human resources of the Non-Self-Governing Territories to the detriment of their inhabitants. Other terms would also reaffirm the need to avoid any economic or other activities, including the use of the Non-Self-Governing Territories for military activity, that adversely affect the interests of the peoples of the Territories.
“Also approved today was the draft resolution titled “Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples by the specialized agencies and the international institutions associated with the United Nations” by a recorded vote of 92 in favour to 2 against [United States, Israel], with 46 abstentions. By its terms, the Committee would have the Assembly recommend that all States intensify their efforts to ensure full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples through specialized agencies and other entities of the United Nations system. It would also request administering Powers to facilitate the participation of appointed and elected representatives of Non-Self-Governing Territories in the relevant meetings and conferences of the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system.
“The Committee will also forward to the Assembly a draft resolution titled “Dissemination of information on decolonization”, which was approved by a recorded vote of 136 in favour to 3 against [Israel, United Kingdom, United States] and 1 abstention [France]. By its terms, the Assembly would consider it important to continue and expand efforts to ensure the widest possible dissemination of information on decolonization. Among others, it would request the Secretary-General to further enhance the information provided on the United Nations decolonization website and would also request the Department of Global Communications to webcast the formal meetings of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples.
“Acting without a recorded vote, the Committee approved the draft resolution on “Offers by Member States of study and training facilities for inhabitants of Non-Self-Governing Territories” [document A/C.4/78/L.2]. By its terms, the Assembly would invite all States to make or continue to make generous offers of study and training facilities to the inhabitants of those Territories that have not yet attained self-government or independence.
“Draft resolutions concerning the questions of American Samoa, Anguilla, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, French Polynesia, Guam, Montserrat, New Caledonia, Pitcairn, Saint Helena, Tokelau, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the United States Virgin Islands respectively [document A/78/23, chapter XIII] were also approved without a vote.”
