Special Committee on Decolonization to Hold Caribbean Regional Seminar in Caracas, Venezuela, 14-16 May
The Special Committee on Decolonization will hold the Caribbean Regional Seminar in Caracas, from 14 to 16 May within the framework of the Fourth International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism (2021-2030).
The Seminar is held under the auspices 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 (also known as the Special Committee of 24 or as “C-24”).
The theme of the 2024 Seminar is “Pursuing goals and addressing needs of the Non-Self-Governing Territories”.
The Guidelines and rules of procedure can be accessed on the United Nations and Decolonization website: https://www.un.org/dppa/decolonization/en/c24/regional-seminars.
There are 17 Non-Self-Governing Territories under the purview of the Special Committee: 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, the United Kingdom and the United States.
The Special Committee will consider the conclusions and recommendations of the seminar at its substantive session to be held from 10 to 21 June, and subsequently transmit them to the General Assembly.
Ambassador Menissa Rambally of Saint Lucia, Chair of the Special Committee, will preside over the Seminar.
Seminar participants invited include a Special Committee delegation comprising the Bureau and members of regional groups; United Nations Member States, including administering Powers; and representatives of the 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.
The 2024 annual Secretariat working papers on each Non-Self-Governing Territory are available on the United Nations and Decolonization website: www.un.org/dppa/decolonization/en/documents/workingpapers.
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* A dispute exists between the Governments of Argentina and the United Kingdom concerning sovereignty over the Falkland Islands (Malvinas).