Special Committee on Decolonization Decides Saint Lucia Will Host 2022 Pacific Regional Seminar, 11-13 May

The Special Committee on Decolonization decided today to hold the 2022 Pacific Regional Seminar in Castries, Saint Lucia, from 11 to 13 May, with a view to evaluating the colonial status of the 17 Non-Self-Governing Territories that remain under its purview.

“I would like to thank the Government and people of Saint Lucia most sincerely for this generous gesture, which will help the Committee move forward with its work,” said Keisha McGuire (Grenada), Chair of the 29-member body, 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.

Saint Lucia’s representative thanked the Special Committee for accepting her country’s offer to host the Seminar.  As an island State and a former Non-Self-Governing Territory, Saint Lucia welcomes all to “our shores” to engage in implementing the United Nations decolonization mandate, she said.  Recalling that her country last hosted a Seminar in 1999, towards the end of the first International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism (1990-2000), she said she anticipates that the 2022 deliberations, taking place during the Fourth International Decade (2021-2030), will focus on taking actions called for in the relevant resolutions and accelerating the decolonization process.

The Special Committee has been organizing seminars, alternately for the Caribbean and the Pacific regions, to review the progress achieved in implementation of the Plan of Action for the International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism.  The theme of the 2022 Seminar is “Advancement of the Non-Self-Governing Territories through the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and beyond”.

Papua New Guinea’s representative, expressing regret that the Pacific region was not in a position to play host for yet another year, said his country would have considered making an offer, were it not for the forthcoming national general elections, which get under way in April.  As the COVID-19 situation improves, however, the Pacific region will be better positioned to host a “next” seminar, he added.  The pandemic forced the cancellation of the 2020 Pacific Regional Seminar, which was to have been held in Indonesia.

The Special Committee approved the guidelines and rules of procedure relating to the Seminar (document A/AC.109/2022/19).  It will consider the Seminar’s conclusions and recommendations during its annual session and subsequently transmit them to the General Assembly.

The 17 Non-Self-Governing Territories are:  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.

The General Assembly established the Special Committee in 1961 as its subsidiary organ devoted to the issue of decolonization, by adopting resolution 1654 (XVI).

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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).