2016 Session,
12th Meeting (PM)
GA/COL/3300

Special Committee on Decolonization Approves Texts on French Polynesia, Visiting Missions, as Its Resumed 2016 Session Concludes

Chair Reflects on Need to Move beyond Current Phase of ‘Stagnation’ in Process

Concluding its 2016 resumed session today, the Special Committee on Decolonization approved two draft resolutions, as its Chair reflected on the need to move past the stagnation characterizing the current state of decolonization efforts around the world.

Acting without a vote, the Special Committee approved a draft resolution on the question of French Polynesia (document A/AC.109/2016/L.24), by which the General Assembly would reaffirm the inalienable right of the people of that Non-Self-Governing Territory to self-determination.  The Assembly would call on the administering Power to intensify its dialogue with French Polynesia in order to facilitate rapid progress towards a fair and effective self-determination process, under which the terms and timelines for such an act would be agreed.

In that context, the Assembly would, by other terms, call on the administering Power, in cooperation with the territorial government and United Nations bodies, to develop political education programmes for the Territory so as to foster awareness of the right to self-determination, in accordance with the legitimate political status options.  Also by the text, the Assembly would encourage the administering Power to facilitate visiting and special missions to the Territory, and request transmission to the Secretary-General of information on French Polynesia under Chapter XI of the United Nations Charter.

By further terms of the text, the General Assembly would urge the administering Power to ensure the permanent sovereignty of the people of French Polynesia over their natural resources, including marine resources and undersea minerals.  Finally, the Assembly would request that the Secretary-General provide updates to his report on the effects of 30 years of nuclear testing on French Polynesia’s environment, ecology, health and other aspects.

By a draft resolution titled “Question of sending visiting and special missions to Territories” (document A/AC.109/2016/L.5/Rev.2), also approved without a vote, the General Assembly would stress the need to dispatch periodic visiting missions to Non-Self-Governing Territories in order to facilitate the full, speedy and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples.  It would call on administering Powers that had not yet done so to facilitate missions to Territories under their administration, and request that the Chair of the Special Committee continue consultations with the administering Powers concerned and report on the results.

Rafael Dario Ramírez Carreño (Venezuela), Chair of the Special Committee, delivered a closing statement, noting that 17 Territories remained on the agenda, continuing to live under the stigma of their colonial situation.  The Special Committee must work together untiringly for complete implementation of General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV), he emphasized.  The recent Pacific Regional Seminar on Decolonization, held in Managua, Nicaragua, as well as the meetings in New York during the session, had provided a closer look at the state of decolonization, which was currently in a phase of stagnation.

The main task now was to move beyond that phase, which would require the Special Committee and the United Nations as whole to commit to the cause of decolonization, he said.  Concerned that decolonization was not among the political priorities of Member States, he said that could give the impression that maintaining the status quo was preferred to promoting independence and other self-determination options.  The Special Committee must intensify its efforts to achieve a just balance for the Non-Self-Governing Territories, he stressed.

He said he had been struck by the numerous requests for greater support made to the Special Committee in relation to New Caledonia, French Polynesia, Western Sahara and Puerto Rico, emphasizing that it was the responsibility of its members to help Non-Self-Governing Territories overcome their colonial situations.  It was to be hoped that administering Powers would more actively participate in the Special Committee’s work going forward, noting that he was also disappointed by absence of all the United Nations agencies invited to the Managua Seminar.

Noting that the situation of Western Sahara had resulted in intense exchanges within the Special Committee, he recalled that the representative of the Frente Popular de Liberación de Saguía el-Hamra y Rio de Oro (Polisario Front) had delivered a statement to the Special Committee as representative of the people of Western Sahara, amid disruptions by one observer during those discussions.  He announced that the Special Committee would soon hold a special meeting on Western Sahara.  He highlighted other important recent activities, including the Bureau’s meeting with the Secretary-General and the International Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories, both of which had yielded a number of positive results.

For information media. Not an official record.