New York:A draft resolution concerning the decolonization of French Polynesia was passed by the Fourth Committee of the United Nations General Assembly, which deals with Special Political and Decolonization Matters. The resolution saw the support of 159 countries, while 2 voted against and 4 abstained, the Baku Initiative Group informed APA.
According to Azeri-Press news agency, France was among the four nations that abstained from the vote, choosing not to support the draft resolution. The resolution emphasizes the right of French Polynesia’s people to self-determination and urges France to collaborate with the UN to advance the decolonization process. It proposes a fact-finding mission by the UN Special Committee on Decolonization (C-24), the development of a work program under UN guidance, and a structured dialogue with local authorities regarding self-determination conditions and timelines. The resolution also highlights indigenous resource rights and addresses the impact of nuclear tests conducted by France from 1966 to 1996.
The Tavini Huiraatira party, advocating for the independence of French Polynesia, hailed the voting results as a significant political message against France’s ongoing colonial policy. The party noted that the support from 159 countries underscores strong international backing for maintaining UN oversight of the decolonization process in non-self-governing Pacific territories, including French Polynesia.
France’s abstention, contrasted with the overwhelming UN support for the decolonization process, indicates its reluctance to abandon its colonial hold. The Tavini Huiraatira party, in its statement, urged for concrete actions in three areas to hasten the decolonization dispatching a UN fact-finding mission to gauge local sentiments, crafting a pertinent UN work program with guarantees, and engaging in a structured dialogue with France on decolonization stages and timelines.
The Baku Initiative Group remains a steadfast supporter of the Tavini Huiraatira party and the French Polynesian independence movement. Since its inception, the Group has emerged as a pivotal platform amplifying colonial-affected peoples’ voices globally. Through a cooperation memorandum with Tavini Huiraatira, the Group has persistently advocated for Polynesian rights in international forums, including the UN.
Conferences by the Baku Initiative Group in Baku, alongside international platforms, scientific studies, and global projects exposing neocolonial policies in overseas territories, have significantly influenced the international consciousness and solidarity needed for this landmark resolution’s passage.
Source Azeri-Press news agency