Special Committee on Decolonization to Hold Caribbean Regional Seminar in Saint George’s, Grenada, 2-4 May
The Special Committee on Decolonization will hold the 2019 Caribbean Regional Seminar in Saint George’s, Grenada, from 2 to 4 May with a view to accelerating action in implementation of the third International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism (2011-2020).
Held under the auspices of the Special Committee, the 2019 Seminar’s theme is “Implementation of the third International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism: accelerating decolonization through renewed commitment and pragmatic measures”.
The Special Committee is formally known as the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples (also known as the Special Committee of 24 or simply the “C-24”).
A total of 17 Non-Self-Governing Territories remain under the Special Committee’s purview: American Samoa, Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands (Malvinas)*, French Polynesia, Gibraltar, Guam, Montserrat, New Caledonia, Pitcairn, Saint Helena, Tokelau, Turks and Caicos Islands, United States Virgin Islands and Western Sahara. The administering Powers are France, New Zealand, United Kingdom and the United States.
Taking recent developments in the Caribbean, Pacific and other areas into consideration, the Seminar will review the situation with respect to the 17 Non‑Self-Governing Territories, including the issue of support from various organizations within the United Nations system and other organizations.
The Special Committee will consider the Seminar’s conclusions and recommendations at its June substantive session, and subsequently transmit them to the General Assembly.
Keisha Aniya McGuire, Permanent Representative of Grenada to the United Nations and Chair of the Special Committee, will preside over the Seminar. Invited participants include a Special Committee delegation comprising the Bureau and members of regional groups, United Nations Member States, including administering Powers, as well as representatives of the Non-Self-Governing Territories, civil society and non-governmental organizations, as well as experts.
The 29 members of the Special Committee are Antigua and Barbuda, Bolivia, Chile, China, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Fiji, Grenada, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Mali, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea, Russian Federation, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sierra Leone, Syrian Arab Republic, Timor-Leste, Tunisia, United Republic of Tanzania and Venezuela.
Secretariat working papers on each Non-Self-Governing Territory are available on the United Nations decolonization website at www.un.org/en/decolonization.
Grenada previously hosted the regional seminar from 9 to 11 May 2018, from 22 to 24 May 2007 and from 17 to 19 June 1992.
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* A dispute exists between the Governments of Argentina and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland concerning sovereignty over the Falkland Islands (Malvinas).