联合国大会第81届会议第四委员会 - 第8次全体会议
联合国大会
Date: 12 October 2026
Language: English
Transcript: https://transcripts.un.org/zh/ga/c4/81/8?lang=en
Transcripts available through this tool are created by using automatic speech recognition and are not official records nor official documents of the United Nations. Official records and official documents are available on the Official Document System of the United Nations.

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4th Committee · Chair [20:41]:

Dear colleagues, good morning. The eighth meeting of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee is called to order. In accordance with our programme of work, the Committee will now continue its general debate on the decolonization items. The list of speakers is published in the UN Journal. Before giving the floor to the first speaker, I wish to remind delegations of the time limits of 10 minutes for national statements and 15 minutes when speaking on behalf of a group. For maximum utilization of our time, I appeal to speakers to deliver shorter versions of their statements and to submit the full text to e-statements@un.org. for posting in the UN journal. To support the interpreters, please e-mail in advance also the shorter version with the indication for interpretation only. And with this, I would like now to hand the floor to the first speaker on my list, that is Uganda on behalf of NAM. You have the floor.


Uganda · NAM [21:59]:

Thank you, Madam Chair. I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement, NAM, representing 120 member states united by a shared history of struggle against colonialism, domination, and racial discrimination. The 65th anniversary of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples took place at a moment when the General Assembly had just adopted resolution 80/106 on the International Day Against Colonialism in all its forms and manifestations. The declaration, the resolution 1541 on principles which should guide members in determining whether or not an obligation exists to transmit the information called for under Article 73 of the Charter and 2625 of the 24th October 1970, containing the Declaration on Principles of International Law Concerning Friendly Relations and Cooperation Among States in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, stand as noteworthy documents in the history of the United Nations. They provided the legal and political foundation of the liberation of many nations that subsequently attained independence, many of which are today proud members of NAM. The adoption not only helped redefine the global political landscape, but also shaped the very identity, principles, and mission of our movement, rooted in the Bandung spirit of solidarity, sovereign equality, and resistance to all forms of domination. Yet, despite the profound changes ushered in by the declaration, colonialism has not been relegated in history. The movement welcomes the observance of the first time for the first time at the United Nations of the International Day against colonialism in all its forms and manifestations on December 18, 2025. In this regard, the movement welcomes this opportunity pursuant to the General Assembly resolution 80/106 to reaffirm our to eradicate colonialism in all its forms and manifestations, wherever and however it persists. The UN General Assembly, in its resolution 80/106, establishing the International Day, reaffirmed that continued existence of colonialism in all its forms and manifestations, both traditional and contemporary, is incompatible with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the UN, the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial your countries and peoples, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the pursuit of universal peace and sustainable development for all. Madam Chair, in this context, the movement reaffirms the principles of sovereign equality and non-intervention and its opposition to practices that violate the Charter of the United Nations and international law. The promulgation and application of extraterritorial and unilateral coercive measures or laws, including unilateral economic sanctions, other intimidating measures, and arbitrary travel restrictions that seek to exert pressure on non-aligned countries, threatening their sovereignty and independence and their freedom of trade and investment, and preventing them from exercising their right to decide by their own free will their own political, economic, and social systems, where measures or laws constitute flagrant violations of the UN Charter, international law, and the multilateral trading system, as well as the norms and principles governing friendly relations among states. The threat or use of force or the interference in the internal affairs of states in blatant violation of the Charter of the United Nations. economic, political cohesion contrary to international law that undermine national decision-making and impede the ability of peoples to freely determine their political, economic, and social systems. Such practices are inconsistent with NAM's longstanding defense of sovereignty, independence, and the right of each nation to choose its own path. Madam Chair, in reaffirming NAM's principled approach, we emphasize, on the one hand, the principle of territorial integrity and national unity, which must be upheld in accordance with the Charter of the UN, which shall not be undermined by any attempt to disrupt the sovereignty or political independence of Member States, and, on the other hand, the equally important inalienable right to self-determination of peoples under colonial or alien domination or occupation, which remains essential to the eradication of these situations. In this regard, the question of Puerto Rico remains a matter of longstanding and unified concern for the movement. NAN reaffirms the right of the people of Puerto Rico to self-determination and independence in accordance with Resolution 1514. and calls for a comprehensive examination of this question within the UN framework, including continued consideration by the Special Committee on Decolonization, C-24. The movement reiterates its unwavering support for the relevant resolution and urges their full and expeditious implementation. The movement also reaffirmed its steadfast solidarity with the people of Palestine, whose struggle for self-determination remains central to the global decolonization agenda. NAM will continue to support the realization of their inalienable rights, including to the independence and sovereignty of their state of Palestine, based on the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with relevant UN resolutions and on the basis of the two-state solution. Madam Chair, we call once again for the elimination of colonialism in all its forms and manifestations, particularly within the context of the current Fourth International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism. In this regard, NAM also underscores the urgent need to address the enduring consequences of colonialism, including economic, cultural, social, and environmental impacts, and advance initiatives and efforts in the field of reparation. Finally, the movement pays tribute to the generations that resisted colonial rule and inspired our collective commitment to independence. dignity and sovereign equality. Their legacy requires us to remain vigilant and uphold the principles of independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the sovereign equality of states, and to strengthen the United Nations as the foundation for dialogue and international cooperation. The Movement, therefore, reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the complete, unconditional and speedy eradication of colonialism in all its forms and manifestations. Guided by the Bandung Principles, the Charter of the United Nations, the historic resolutions 1514, 1541 and 2625, and the legitimate aspirations of our peoples, the Movement will continue to work so that all nations may fully exercise their sovereign right to determine their own political, economic and social systems free from external pressure or interference, so that independence is real and that every people may enjoy freedom, equality, dignity and peace. I thank you, Madam Chair.


4th Committee · Chair [29:59]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Uganda, speaking on behalf of NAM, and I would like now to hand the floor to the distinguished representative of Djibouti.


Djibouti [30:16]:

Thank you, Madam Chair. First of all, on behalf of the delegation of Djibouti, I would like to join my voice to those who spoke before me to congratulate you on your election to chair this committee, as well as the members of your Bureau. You can be assured of the full support of my delegation. Djibouti supports the right to independence and respect for territorial integrity. which are fundamental principles of international law that guarantee to each people the freedom to determine its own future and to live without external occupation, foreign occupation or domination. It is essential that this right, which is enshrined in the UN Charter and reaffirmed in Resolution 1514 of the United Nations, adopted 66 years ago, should be upheld and applied wherever there are still colonized peoples. Furthermore, we reiterate our commitment to respecting the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity of member states, and the resolution of conflicts through dialogue. These principles remain essential to guarantee peace, stability, and sustainable development, allowing peoples to thrive in an environment free of conflicts and tensions. Now, regarding the question of the Sahara, Djibouti applauds the efforts of the Secretary-General of the United Nations and his special envoy. In this approach, the adoption of Resolution 2797 of the Security Council is a significant step forward towards a just and lasting solution. My delegation would like to express its support for the Moroccan autonomy initiative. We are convinced that this initiative will make it possible to pave the way to a fruitful dialogue that could restore peace and stability in the region. We would like to in particular, highlight the socioeconomic investments, significant ones, made by the Kingdom of Morocco in its southern provinces, which point to its commitment to sustainable development that could contribute to meeting the needs and aspirations of the people of the region. Madam Chair, furthermore, my delegation is concerned by the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories. where illegal settlements and violations of the rights of the Palestinian people continue in spite of all the various UN resolutions. This situation represents a major obstacle to the establishment of a viable and respected Palestinian state. It deteriorates the global humanitarian situation and is the root cause for the expansion of conflicts in the region. To conclude, my delegation would like to express the wish that the work of this committee lead to concrete actions that promote dialogue and the resolution of disputes rather than the persistence of conflicts that have a negative impact not only on the lives of the populations concerned but also on the very credibility of multilateralism thank you for your attention.


4th Committee · Vice-Chair [33:42]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Djibouti for her statement, and I would like now to hand the floor to the next speaker on my list, that is Colombia. You have the floor.


Colombia [33:55]:

Thank you, Madam Vice-Chair. Now, given that this is the first statement of the Colombian delegation during this session of the Fourth Committee, Allow me, Madam Vice Chair, to convey to you our warmest congratulations on your election to chair and wish you and the other members of the Bureau every success in the conduct of our work. You can be assured of the full support of Colombia in fulfilling your mandate.

For Colombia, it is absolutely clear that the resolution 1514 of 1960 must remain within the legal boundaries of its original interpretation. That being said, Colombia believes that we must refrain from making political interpretations of an instrument that has been so helpful in the decolonization process since the '60s. We must remain that more than 750,000 people, one third of the population at the time the resolution took place and was applicable in most countries in Africa, in Asia, and even America and the Caribbean, helped the decolonization process of at least a third part of the world. That being said, we do understand the complexities of the modern world and the needs to adapt international instruments, but we remain attached to the original interpretation as given by the course, but also by the instruments that apply, Resolution 1514. Senora.

Madam Vice Chair, for Colombia, it's therefore important that there's strict adherence to the resolution to resolve the conflict that is as old and longstanding as the Malvinas one. This is why Colombia supports and shares the joint statement of the Brazilian consensus of Mercosur, of CELAC, of G77, and China. And, naturally, we'd like to express our belief or conviction and peace towards a peaceful resolution of the conflict between Argentina and the United Kingdom with regard to the Malvinas, South Georgia, South Sandwich Islands, and the surrounding maritime areas. Colombia also affirms its commitment to public international law, to international treaties, and aligns itself with Resolution 3149 of the General Assembly, urging the parties to refrain from adopting decisions that could lead to the introduction of unilateral modifications in the situation, while the Malvinas Islands are going through a process that is particularly sensitive in terms of geopolitics. And we therefore urge the parties to use the various instruments of international law to promote peaceful relations between nations and that they respect the sovereign rights that exist in these islands. Thank you very much, Madam Vice Chair.


4th Committee · Chair [38:06]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Colombia for his statement, and I would like now to hand the floor to the representative of Iran.


Iran (Islamic Republic of) [38:18]:

In the name of God, the compassionate and merciful. Madam Chair, at the outset, my delegation would like to align itself with the statements delivered by the distinguished representative of Russian Federation on behalf of the Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations, and by the distinguished representative of Uganda on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement. The continued existence of 17 non-self-governing territories reminds us that the promise of decolonization remains unfulfilled. My delegation reiterates its strong commitment to the complete eradication of colonialism in all its forms and manifestations, in conformity with the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter, the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, and the relevant resolutions of the United Nations. Madam Chair, distinguished colleagues. Islamic Republic of Iran reaffirms the inalienable right of peoples under colonial domination and foreign occupation to self-determination. Their political future must reflect their freely expressed wishes in accordance with the Charter and the relevant United Nations resolutions. The realization of this right remains indispensable to their freedom, dignity, and development, alongside respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states. My delegation calls upon administering powers to cooperate fully with the Special Committee in the discharge of its mandate, including by facilitating United Nations visiting missions where applicable and in accordance with relevant resolutions. The peoples concerned must be able to participate meaningfully in determining their political future with access to the options recognized within the United Nations framework. No unilateral measures or external pressures should impede the free and genuine expression of their will. In addition, the application of procedural rules should facilitate the orderly hearing of petitioners and safeguard their opportunity to present their views respectfully and without undue interruption. Madam Chair, colonial domination continues to impose severe burdens on peoples through the exploitation of their resources and the obstruction of their development. My country firmly rejects the exploitation of the natural wealth and resources of peoples under colonial domination or foreign occupation. to serve external political, economic or strategic interests. The sovereignty of peoples over their natural wealth and resources must be respected. Administering and occupying powers must discharge their respective responsibilities under international law, protect the environment, health, and livelihood of the inhabitants, and refrain from resource exploitation, harmful military activities, nuclear testing, radioactive waste disposal, and the dumping of hazardous waste that endanger their well-being or obstruct their development. The legacy of nuclear testing in some territories reflects the subordination of people's safety and well-being to the strategic interests of certain powers. Attacks against peaceful nuclear facilities and threats of such attacks also perpetuate this pattern as instruments of neocolonial coercion, undermining sovereignty and obstructing peaceful scientific and technological development. Such attacks and threats must be firmly condemned. Those responsible for wrongful acts must be held accountable and provide appropriate reparation in accordance with international law. Addressing colonialism also requires confronting its enduring consequences. In this regard, we support advancing reparatory justice consistent with international law, including true accountability, appropriate reparations, and the restitution of looted cultural property. These efforts must address historical wrongs and their continuing consequences, rather than leave affected peoples to bear their burdens. Madam Chair, colonialism has also assumed contemporary forms through unjust political, economic, and social pressures intended to subordinate independent states and perpetuate dependency. The imposition of unilateral coercive measures that contravene international law and the Charter of the United Nations must be firmly condemned and rejected. Neither economic pressure nor the politicization of human rights can justify interference, coercion, or domination. Such practices serve the narrow interests of certain powers at the expense of the independence of states and the well-being of their peoples. Madam Chair, with regard to Western Sahara, my delegation reaffirms the enduring responsibility of the United Nations toward the Sahrawi people and their inalienable right to self-determination. The Sahrawi people must be meaningfully involved in any United Nations-facilitated process, and their views must be clearly ascertained in accordance with relevant resolutions. Their future must be shaped by their own aspirations, not imposed through external political considerations. We support the efforts of the Secretary-General and his personal envoy to facilitate dialogue toward a just, lasting, inclusive, and mutually acceptable political solution consistent with the Charter and relevant United Nations resolutions. Engagement must proceed in good faith and without preconditions, while preserving the integrity of the decolonization process and the right of the Sahrawi people to determine their future freely. Madam Chair, with regard to Puerto Rico, my delegation reaffirms the inalienable right of its people to self-determination and independence in accordance with General Assembly Resolution 1514. Externally imposed austerity measures and constraints on public institutions continue to undermine essential services and infrastructure and restrict the people's ability to freely pursue their economic and social development. These constraints must be lifted and their democratic choices respected. The political future of Puerto Rico must be determined through the free and genuine expression of the will of its people without unilateral measures or external interference. Distinguished colleagues, the denial of self-determination and the persistence of foreign occupation remain serious threats to regional and international peace and security. The Palestinian people, who have endured generations of dispossession and occupation, must remain a central priority of the United Nations until they fully realize their inalienable rights, including their right to self-determination and independence. My delegation also reaffirms its support for the admission of the State of Palestine to full membership in the United Nations. As long as peoples remain under colonial domination or foreign occupation and their legitimate aspirations are suppressed, the mandate of this Committee remains indispensable. The international community cannot fulfil the promise of the Charter while tolerating the denial of such fundamental rights. In conclusion, the Islamic Republic of Iran reiterates its unwavering commitment to the complete eradication of colonialism in all its forms and manifestations. We call upon the United Nations, administering powers, and the international community to intensify their efforts to complete the unfinished process of decolonization, uphold the rights of peoples under foreign occupation, and ensure that freedom, justice, and dignity become realities for all. I thank you


4th Committee · Chair [46:22]:

Thank the representative of Iran for his statement. And the next speaker on my list is the representative of the Dominican Republic. You have the floor.


Dominican Republic [46:35]:

Thank you, Madam Chair. I would like to begin this statement by expressing our most sincere congratulations to you, as well as to other members of the Bureau, for your election to lead the work of this committee throughout this session. We wish you great success in your role, and we are convinced that under your leadership, we will be able to successfully conclude the work of this important committee. You can count on the support of our delegation. The Dominican Republic joins the statements delivered by Uruguay on behalf of the G77 and China, and CELAC, and by Belize on behalf of member countries of SICA. We will now deliver the following statement on a national basis. The Dominican Republic, as one of the founding states of the United Nations and a firm believer in multilateralism, reiterates its support to the principle of the self-determination of peoples enshrined in Article 1 of the founding charter of this organization and endorsed by the historic Resolution 1514 of the General Assembly in 1960. Pursuant to this, we believe in the need for peoples to move towards full economic, political, social, and cultural development. For this reason, decolonization remains as a pending task on the agenda of the international community, and our aspiration is that through the good offices of the United Nations, we will be able to achieve a definitive and peaceful solution for this issue. Madam Chair, For the aforementioned reasons, and on the basis of our sense of solidarity with brotherly countries in our region, the Dominican Republic would like to avail itself of this opportunity to reiterate its firm support to the legitimate rights of sovereignty of the Republic of Argentina over the Malvinas Islands, South Georgia and Sandwich Islands, as well as the surrounding maritime areas, on the basis of the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and international law. In this same vein, our country would like to underscore the need for Argentina and the United Kingdom to renew negotiations to find a peaceful and definitive solution to the issue of the Malvinas Islands and surrounding maritime areas, on the basis of GA resolutions, specifically resolution 2065. We are fully convinced that the only way to put an end to this issue is through negotiated agreement between the parties. On the other hand, our delegation supports the good offices of the Secretary-General, a mission that was entrusted to him by the General Assembly, and we would like to encourage for all resources and means at his disposal to be used in order to renew conversations that would allow us to move towards a peaceful and definitive agreement. Madam Chair, with respect to the issue of Western Sahara, our country would like to reaffirm its support to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Morocco. We also support the efforts of that country in the search for a peaceful solution to solve this regional controversy. Moreover, the Dominican Republic considers that the autonomy plan proposed by Moroccans as the only solution to solve the issue of the Western Sahara. In the same way, our country welcomes the broad international support garnered by the Moroccan autonomy initiative. We also value the work done by the Secretary-General and his personal envoy for Western Sahara, Mr. Staffan de Mistura, in order to facilitate and hold negotiations using as a basis the Moroccan autonomy proposal, in order to achieve a solution that is just, lasting and acceptable for all parties, as indicated in resolution 2797 of the Security Council. Madam Chair, to conclude, our country would like to reiterate the importance of ensuring that the international community continues to proactively support the principles of decolonization and the right to self-determination. The Dominican Republic is fully convinced that respect for international law is the only predictable and constructive route available to ensure a just and permanent peace without leaving anyone behind. I thank you, Chair.


4th Committee · Chair [51:30]:

I thank the distinguished representative of the Dominican Republic for his statement, and I would like now to hand the floor to the distinguished representative of Honduras.


Honduras [51:45]:

Madam Chair. First, allow me to congratulate you for having been elected to chair the work of the Fourth Committee in this 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly. And I would also like to extend these congratulations to members of the Bureau. For Honduras, it is critical that the United Nations continues to move forward with processes of self-determination and independence of peoples. We consider that territories that do not exercise their self-determination are stuck in the process of decolonization. In order to finish this process, we require permanent dialogue between the administering powers as well as the Special Committee on Decolonization of the General Assembly and the peoples living in these territories in order to comply with the GA mandate enshrined in resolutions 1514 of December 14, 1960, and 1541 of 15 December 1960, and other relevant resolutions of the General Assembly. Madam Chair, the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples of the General Assembly approved in 1960, proclaims the need to put an end to colonialism in all of its forms and manifestations, clearly indicating the existence of more than one form of colonialism and establishing different principles, such as the principle of self-determination and territorial integrity. And in that sense, Honduras notes with satisfaction the important contribution of the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United Nations in its review of the issue of the Malvinas Islands since resolution 2065 was adopted in 1965, the first resolution to specifically reference this issue. My country would like to encourage the efforts of the Republic of Argentina and the the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in order to achieve a constructive position between both parties, with the goal of restoring the full exercise of Argentinian sovereignty over these territories on the basis of international law and relevant resolutions of the United Nations. My delegation would like to reiterate its historic and staunch support to the legitimate Argentinian rights in relation to the sovereignty dispute with regard to the Malvinas Islands, the Southern Georgia Islands, Southern Sandwich Islands, and surrounding maritime spaces. We have expressed our support on many occasions to the Republic of Argentina in the framework of organizations, mechanisms, and multilateral fora in which Honduras participates. We recognize the unwavering commitment of Argentina when it comes to human rights, international law, and the peaceful solution of international disputes. Madam Chair, the government of the Republic of Honduras appeals to put an end to the scourge of colonialism, which continues to exist in our latitudes in all of its manifestations, economic, political, cultural, and territorial. Honduras, it is key that the United Nations continue to fully move forward with self-determination and independence for peoples. My country champions respecting the self-determination of peoples, and we reiterate our commitment to continue working in the framework of international law to make sure that Latin America and the Caribbean are a region free from colonialism. Madam Chair, to conclude, Honduras would like to recognize the efforts of different units in the United Nations as well as the work of the decolonization committee and we encourage all member states to continue continue strengthening the work of the organization I would like to highlight the commitment of the Republic of Honduras in the work of this committee and for this reason you have the full support of my delegation I thank you


4th Committee · Chair [55:57]:

I thank the distinguished representative for her statement, and I would like now to hand the floor to the distinguished representative of Zimbabwe. You have the floor.


Zimbabwe [56:08]:

Madam Chair, my delegation welcomes this debate on an issue of profound historical significance to Zimbabwe and the wider African continent. Decolonization stands among the greatest achievements of the United Nations. It brought freedom and independence to millions of people. Yet, as long as some people have not fully exercised their right to self-determination, that historical mission remains unfinished. Zimbabwe speaks from experience. Our independence was achieved through a protracted liberation struggle, sustained by sacrifices of our people and the solidarity of the international community. That history compels us to stand in solidarity with those who continue to pursue their legitimate aspirations for freedom and self-determination. It is therefore concerning that, halfway through the fourth International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism, 17 non-self-governing territories are still awaiting the fulfillment of their legitimate aspirations. We are equally concerned by contemporary practices that undermine sovereignty, perpetuate economic dependence, and constrain the ability of independent states to determine their own development paths. Equally troubling are neocolonial practices that continue to impede the full development of states already politically independent. These realities affirm that decolonization remains an unfinished business demanding renewed resolve. Madam Chair, the question of Western Sahara on this committee's agenda since 1963 illustrates the challenges confronting decolonization. The long delay in holding the referendum envisaged in the United Nations settlement plan has perpetuated uncertainty and denied the Sahrawi people their right to decide their own future. The settlement plan, endorsed by both the United Nations and the African Union, remains the most credible path to peace and stability in the region. Zimbabwe therefore urges the international community to uphold its consistent position that Western Sahara remains a non-self-governing territory. The Sahrawi people must be allowed to determine their destiny through a free and fair referendum in accordance with the UN settlement plan and relevant resolutions. We call on all parties to enable MINUSO to fulfill its mandate effectively and without obstruction or undue influence. My delegation wishes to emphasize that any envisaged initiative aimed at resolving the question of Western Sahara must place the Sahrawi people at the center of the process and ensure their full and effective participation. Any initiative that does not reflect the legitimate aspirations of the Sahrawi people risks undermining the prospects for a durable and sustainable resolution of the question of Western Sahara. A just and lasting settlement requires dialogue and compromise. The pursuit of a political solution must remain anchored in the principles of the UN Charter and the legitimate aspirations of the Sahrawi people. We support the Security Council's call for the resumption of the political process leading to a just, lasting, and mutually acceptable solution, guaranteeing self-determination for the Sahrawi people. As we look towards the remaining years of the fourth decade for the eradication of colonialism, we must match our commitments with concrete action. This requires renewed political engagement, effective implementation of relevant United Nations decisions, and sustained support for the legitimate aspirations in all non-self-governing territories. Madam Chair. In conclusion, Zimbabwe reaffirms its unwavering support for the invaluable work of this Committee in promoting fundamental principles of sovereignty and self-determination enshrined in the United Nations Charter. Zimbabwe stands resolute in solidarity with the people of Western Sahara in their legitimate struggle for self-determination. We urge all Member States to renew their commitment to the principles of justice, equality and self-determination. I thank you.


4th Committee · Chair [1:00:49]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Zimbabwe for her statement, and I would like now to hand the floor to the distinguished representative of Timor-Leste.


Timor-Leste [1:01:02]:

Chair, distinguished delegates, Timor-Leste congratulates you and the Bureau on your election. We thank the Special Committee on Decolonization and the Secretary-General for their efforts and continued commitment to completing the unfinished work of decolonization. Excellencies, for Timor-Leste, self-determination has a profound meaning. Therefore, we place the importance of enabling peoples to determine their political future freely in accordance with the United Nations Charter and its principles. Sustained United Nations engagement and international solidarity were essential to that process. Hosting the C24 Pacific Regional Seminar in Dili in May 2025 reaffirmed our commitment to peoples whose aspirations remains unfulfilled. This experience guides our support for the full implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples contained in General Assembly Resolution 1514. Progress requires constructive dialogue and approaches suited to each territory, consistent with the Charter and relevant United Nations resolutions. Chair, the agenda items before us translate this commitment into practical responsibilities. First, reliable information is essential to informed consideration and accountability. Article 73 of the Charter recognizes that the interests of the inhabitants of non-self-governing territories are paramount. Administering powers must fulfill their responsibilities, including the reporting obligation under Article 73 and cooperate with relevant United Nations bodies. Hearing territorial representatives and petitioners and conducting visiting missions where appropriate can deepen understanding and facilitate dialogue. Second, economic activities and natural resources management. should benefit the peoples of the territories, respecting their rights, livelihoods, cultures, and environment. Investment should create local employment, build skills, and ensure transparency and meaningful participation. Third, specialized agencies and international institutions should support public services, institutional capacity, and sustainable development in accordance with their mandates and territorial priorities. Island territories, particularly need coordinated assistance for climate adaptation and disaster preparedness. Fourth, scholarships, vocational education, and professional training should expand opportunities, especially for women and young people. Offering states and administering powers should facilitate access and help participants apply their skills within the communities. These measures must support self-determination. Development challenges must not become grounds for delaying that process. Chair, implementing the declaration also requires sustained attention to each territory's circumstances. Regarding Western Sahara, Timor-Leste welcomes efforts and dialogue towards a peaceful settlement under the United Nations auspices. We reaffirm our longstanding support for the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination through a free and fair referendum. We believe that self-determination must not be determined from outside without the consent of the people themselves. We support the Secretary-General and his personal envoy in pursuing a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution that gives effect to the right to reflect the Sahrawi people's freely expressed will. We also reiterate our support for stronger human rights protection, including the establishment of a human rights monitoring component in MINURSO and sustained humanitarian assistance. Regarding the Falkland Islands or Malvinas, we call for the bilateral negotiations between Argentina and the United Kingdom towards a peaceful settlement of the sovereignty dispute is consistent with relevant General Assembly resolutions and taking into account the interests of the inhabitants. On Gibraltar, we encourage constructive dialogue between Spain and the United Kingdom towards a negotiated solution consistent with relevant United Nations resolutions, taking into account the population's interests and hearing those directly concerned. Regarding French Polynesia, we reaffirm support for its people's right to self-determination through inclusive dialogue, impartial information on political status options, and respect for cultural identity. The environmental and health legacy of nuclear testing also requires continued scientific assessment, access to information, and attention to affected communities. For New Caledonia, we encourage peaceful and inclusive dialogue to advance self-determination, guided by the freely expressed will of the people. Respect for the identity and aspirations of the Kanak people, alongside engagement with all communities, is essential to building trust. Across other non-self-governing territories, participation, cultural preservation, climate resilience, and equitable development deserve sustained attention, with assistance reflecting each territory's circumstances. Chair, to advance this work, Timor-Leste highlight four priorities. First, uphold self-determination through peaceful and inclusive process that enable the people's concerned to express their will freely. Second, strengthen accountability by fulfilling charter obligations, providing reliable information, ensuring meaningful participation, and cooperating with United Nations mechanisms. Third, safeguard human rights and ensure that natural resources and economic activities benefit the peoples of the territories. Fourth, expand education, institutional capacity, and climate resilience, ensuring that development assistance support progress towards self-determination. Timor-Leste's experience reminds us that international solidarity requires sustained attention, listening to the people's concerns, and helping create the conditions in which they can freely determine their future. Thank you.


4th Committee · Chair [1:06:51]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Timor-Leste for his statement, and I would like now to hand the floor to the distinguished representative of Gambia.


Gambia [1:07:04]:

The Gambia wishes to congratulate you on your election, and we extend our best wishes for your success and assure you of our full support as you lead the committee's work. The delegation of the Republic of the Gambia takes the floor on the question of Western Sahara. to reaffirm its commitment to the principle of the Charter of the United Nations, including the peaceful settlement of dispute and the pursuit of a realistic, pragmatic, and mutually acceptable political solution through the United Nation-led process. Mr. Chair, the Gambia recognizes and reaffirms its support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Morocco over the Sahara region and reiterates its full support for the Moroccan autonomy plan. which we consider a credible, realistic and pragmatic basis for achieving a lasting, peaceful and mutually acceptable political solution to the question of the Western Sahara. Security Council resolution 2797 has injected fresh momentum into the political process. underscoring the imperative of reaching a realistic, lasting, and mutually acceptable political solution through dialogue, negotiation, and compromise under the auspices of the United Nations. Chair, the Gambia also welcome the Kingdom of Morocco's continued commitment to the ceasefire and its cooperation with the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara, MINURSO. We underscore the importance of regional peace and stability and for enabling MINURSO to discharge its mandate effectively and under appropriate conditions. We further commend the development efforts undertaken in the Moroccan Sahara, including investments in infrastructure, economic opportunities, and social development. We believe that sustainable development, improved living conditions, and regional cooperation can contribute to a climate conducive to peace stability and a lasting political settlement. We reaffirm our support for the continuation and advancement of the United Nations-led political process and call upon all parties concerned to demonstrate the necessary political will to move forward. Chair, the Gambia remains convinced that a lasting solution to the question of the Western Sahara can only be achieved through sustained dialogue, political will, compromise, and constructive engagement. We therefore call upon all parties concerned to make full use of the United Nation-led process and to place peace, stability, development, and the well-being of the people of the region at the center of their efforts. The Gambia also reaffirmed its commitment to the principle of decolonization and the in alignment right to self-determination as enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and relevant international instruments. We believe that these principles should be pursued in a manner consistent with the United Nations-led political process and with the objective of achieving a realistic, pragmatic, and mutually acceptable political settlement. The Gambia commends the Special Committee on Decolonization for its continued work in advancing the decolonization agenda and for its engagement with the remaining non-self-governing territories in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and relevant General Assembly resolutions. We remain committed to constructive dialogue and supporting peaceful solutions that promote dignity, development, stability, and respect for the principles of the United Nations Charter. I thank you.


4th Committee · Chair [1:10:38]:

I thank the distinguished representative of the Gambia, and I would like now to hand the floor to the distinguished representative of Ethiopia. You have the floor.


Ethiopia [1:10:49]:

Madam Chair, as I said, my delegation would like to congratulate you, as well as the other members of the Bureau, on your election to preside over the work of this committee. I assure you of my delegation's full support and cooperation in the discharge of your important responsibilities. The global community is currently navigating complex, multifaceted challenges that disproportionately affect developing regions. Climate change, economic and financial vulnerabilities, health-related challenges, and other structural constraints continue to threaten hard-won development gains and hinder collective efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. The non-self-governing territories are not immune to these challenges. On the contrary, many continue to face particular vulnerabilities that constrain their sustainable development. While significant progress has been made since the adoption of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, the continued existence of non-self-governing territories underscores that our collective efforts remain unfinished. Ethiopia, therefore, reaffirms its long-standing and principled commitment to the complete eradication of colonialism. We accordingly call for the full and effective implementation of the declaration, as well as the resolutions of all relevant General Assembly and the Security Council. Madam Chair, as we continue the Fourth International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism, political declarations alone are not sufficient. Decolonization requires sustained political commitment, international cooperation, adequate resources, and practical action. The United Nations, including the Special Committee on Decolonization, should continue strengthening its efforts to ensure that the peoples of non-self-governing territories can freely determine their political, economical, social, and cultural future. We underscore the importance of providing the United Nations with the necessary financial and technical resources to fulfill its mandate. Ensuring that the organization is properly equipped is essential to advancing genuine and lasting progress toward decolonization. At the same time, administering powers in cooperation with the United Nations system should support the peoples of non-self-governing territories in addressing socioeconomic challenges, strengthening resilience, and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals. No people or territory should be left behind. The ability of people to exercise their aspiration and agency in accordance with the principle of self-determination is closely linked to their ability to achieve sustainable economic and social development. Addressing structural vulnerabilities, strengthening resilience, and advancing SDGs are therefore important elements of our collective efforts. Ethiopia commands. The important work of the Special Committee on Decolonization, including its substantive session and regular seminar held in Dili, Timor-Leste, in May 2025, such initiatives are essential to sustaining international attention, encouraging dialogue, and hearing directly from the peoples of non-self-governing territories. Madam Chair, Ethiopia reaffirms its support for a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution to the question of Western Sahara, in accordance with relevant United Nations resolutions. We welcome the continued efforts of the Secretary-General and his personal envoy, as reflected in the Secretary-General's latest report, to advance the political process through dialogue and consultations. We call on all parties to demonstrate political will, engage constructively and in good faith, and work toward achieving a peaceful, comprehensive, and durable solution. In conclusion, Madam Chair, my delegation wishes to underscore the importance of redoubling our collective efforts to achieve tangible and meaningful progress regarding the 17 non-self-determining territories. We remain committed to advancing the objective of the decolonization agenda and ensuring that this Committee effectively fulfills its mandate. I thank you, Madam Chair.


4th Committee · Chair [1:14:54]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Ethiopia for his statement, and I would like now to hand the floor to the distinguished representative of Guinea-Bissau.


Guinea-Bissau [1:15:08]:

Madam Chair. Allow me to congratulate you and members of the Bureau on your election as the chair of this committee at its 81st session. We are confident that under your able leadership, the works of this committee will be successfully carried out. You can count on the full support and cooperation of my delegation. I wish to seize the opportunity to express our sincere gratitude to your predecessor for the successful conclusions of the works of this Committee at its 88th session. Guinea-Bissau is committed to the principles and ideals of the UN Charter and reaffirms its commitment to political efforts for a peaceful settlement of disputes through dialogue. These principles remain essential to regional and global stability. With regards to the situation on the implementation of the Declaration of on the granting of independence to colonial countries and people, specifically the question of the Moroccan Sahara, we welcome with satisfaction the Security Council resolution 2797 of October last year, which marks a significant recalibration of the Council approach by acknowledging Morocco's autonomy proposal as preferred framework. which constitute the basis for a lasting political situation. Chair, we therefore reaffirm that it's critical that the concerned parties remain engaged in a political dialogue under the auspices of the UN and guided by the Council Resolution 2797 in order to achieve everlasting political solution in Morocco and Sahel. We commend the efforts of the UN the UN Secretary General and his personal envoy, Mr. de Mistura, to facilitate the political process on the basis of the autonomy plan as proposed by the Kingdom of Morocco. This autonomy plan is realistic, is practical and pragmatic, and is based on compromise for a mutual, acceptable, and most feasible for a durable solution and for a sustainable peace. We therefore insist on the urgent need of capitalizing on the momentum created by resolution 2797 to engage in good faith in this process and on the basis of Morocco's autonomy proposal and urge all parties to refrain from any action that could increase tensions or undermine trust and the political process. Guinea-Bissau welcomes Morocco's dynamic which gained international support. These initiatives and efforts are testament to the commitment of the government of Morocco to the well-being of the people of the region and encourage many countries, including Guinea-Bissau, to open a general consulate in Morocco and SARA, which is aiming to accompany and support economic development and progress in the region. To this end, My government welcome Morocco's commitment to the promotion and respect of human rights, inclusive governance, the full participation of the representatives from the region at the legislative election held this year, last September, and the active participation of the elected regional councils, as attested by international observers, the importance attached on democratic representation and local autonomy. and for all its efforts through continual investment on infrastructure, renewable energy, education, and local governance, implementation of project aimed at stimulating sustainable development, environmental protection of local culture, which has greatly contributed to empower population and improving human development. Chair, Despite all this progress recorded in Morocco and Sahara, we are still concerned of the security of people in the region, specifically in the Tindouf camp. We therefore call for a lasting solution that allows this population to freely choose from the available options provided by the international humanitarian law. To conclude, Madam Chair, We reiterate that the commitment of Morocco for sustainable peace and development for the people of Morocco and SARA is undeniable, and therefore wish to clearly reaffirm the Republic of Guinea-Bissau's consistent position in support of Morocco's territorial integrity and sovereignty over the SARA. We insist in calling on a strong international support to Morocco's approach and implementation of the resolution 2797. I thank you.


4th Committee · Chair [1:20:31]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Guinea-Bissau for his statement. And I would like now to hand the floor to the distinguished representative of Benin.


Benin [1:20:44]:

Thank you for giving me the floor. Madam Chair, allow me to begin by expressing my warmest congratulations to you and the other members of the Bureau in their election, and I wish all of you every success in the exercise of your functions, for which I assure you of our full support and cooperation. Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, the question, the issues of special policy and decolonization, which are sensitive given their implications. They're at the very heart of the deliberations of this committee. With regard to the Sahara, Benin welcomes once again the adoption of resolution 2797 of the Security Council and reaffirms its full support for the political process conducted under the auspices of the United Nations, as well as the efforts of the Secretary-General and his personal envoy. Furthermore, we appreciate the Moroccan autonomy initiative, which has the endorsement of the international community, and invite the the parties to support it to continue dialogue with the prospect of reaching tangible results for a definitive political solution. The delegation of Benin also applauds the significant efforts deployed by Morocco in the southern provinces in terms of infrastructure, renewable energy, education, and local governance. The progress recorded in the socioeconomic sphere, as well as The significant participation of the local population in the elections of 23 September of this year points to a dynamic of development and democratic participation that should be supported. Madam Chair, Benin urges Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania and the Polisario Front to maintain the momentum in this process under the auspices of the United Nations in order to inexorably advance towards a lasting and definitive solution to the regional dispute over the Sahara, which has lasted for too long. My delegation calls on all parties to refrain from any actions that could aggravate tensions or undermine trust in the political process. The time of rigid positions should be replaced by an approach geared toward the future. We must take advantage of the current developments to lay the groundwork for a future of peace, prosperity, in favor of sustainable development, inclusive growth, responding to the aspirations of the local populations. In this context, Benin calls on all to continue to be committed in good faith to the process of dialogue to achieve peace in the region of Sahara in conformity with Resolution 2797 of the Security Council. Madam Chair, Benin calls on the protagonists to reiterate their readiness to uphold the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity of member states, and peaceful resolution of disputes. These principles are at the heart of the UN Charter, and they remain essential to regional and global stability. Lastly, the resolution of the question of the Sahara could not be achieved without taking duly into account the situation of the populations of the Tindouf camp, which has lasted over half a century. We urgently call on all parties to work actively and jointly to allow the populations of this camp to exercise their free choice pursuant to international humanitarian law of the best options for their well-being. Thank you.


4th Committee · Chair [1:24:58]:

I'd like to thank Benin, and then I would like to give the floor to Namibia.


Namibia [1:25:06]:

Thank you, Madam Chair. This Committee is tasked with considering, amongst others, issues related to the 17 non-self-governing territories, whose cases represent individuals and peoples with hopes, dreams and aspirations. The people of these territories should not be subjected to continued exploitation or treated in a manner that disregards their legitimate interests and aspirations. They deserve the right to freedom, the right to self-determination, which must be fully respected in accordance with international law. In this context, the question of Western Sahara, formerly Spanish Sahara, was referred to the International Court of Justice for an advisory opinion through a 1974 decision of the UN General Assembly, through resolution 3292, during its 29th session, the UN General Assembly affirmed the right of the Sahrawi people to self-determination in accordance with Resolution 1514, containing the declaration on the granting of independence to colonial countries and peoples. Subsequent, 1975, the IJC ruling was emphatic. in that it clearly stated that there was no established legal tie of territorial sovereignty between the territory of Western Sahara and the Kingdom of Morocco. Therefore, any trade agreements or deals concluded with third parties regarding the territory of Western Sahara without the consent of the people of Western Sahara are illegal, invalid, and undermine international law. This interpretation was further confirmed by the European Court of Justice in its 2016, 2022, and 2024 rulings, respectively. The continued exploitation of the natural resources of Western Sahara without the consent of its people undermines the principles of justice and international law. We therefore call on the international community to stand on the right side of history by refraining from any engagement that perpetuates or legitimizes the unlawful appropriation of Sahrawi resources. 51 years on, since the occupation of the territory of Western Sahara in 1975, the Sahrawi people remain marginalized and displaced from their own territory. Reports of ongoing exploitation, expropriation of land and natural resources continue unabated and remain deeply concerning. The situation in Western Sahara cannot be regarded as normal. Western Sahara is a territory which remains subject to colonial administration and remains a decolonization case that is unresolved. Madam Chair, since early 1980s, A wall of separation, commonly referred to as Ben, was built to keep the owners of the land, the people of Western Sahara, away from accessing their ancestral land and resources. Nairobi underscores that this barrier symbolizes the continued denial of fundamental rights and freedoms. It is imperative that the United Nations refrain from any language or reporting that could be interpreted as legitimizing this war, but rather the UN should uphold its responsibility to unequivocally condemn such structures that perpetuate occupation and hinder realization of self-determination. The continued attacks from both sides of the wall reflect the abnormal and unresolved nature of the situation in Western Sahara. A comprehensive ceasefire remains elusive and the conflict between the two parties endures, Namibia underscores that this Committee, as part of the greater UN, has a moral obligation and a principled mandate to uphold the right of the people under colonial rule. This Fourth Committee carries a legal obligation to deliver justice and liberty to the people of Western Sahara in accordance with the United Nations Charter and relevant resolutions on decolonization and self-determination. We express deep concern over the continued lack of access by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to the occupied territory of Western Sahara due to longstanding restrictions that have prevented the Office from conducting independent on-the-ground assessments. This lack of access undermines transparency and accountability impedes the protection of human rights and obstructs the ability of the international community to monitor and report and respond effectively to the situation on the ground, as we heard last week from the petitioners. Namibia calls on the renewed efforts by the United Nations system, in particular the UN General Assembly and the Security Council, to intensify efforts to protect the rights and dignity of the Sahrawi people, to ensure unfettered access for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and to uphold the principles of impartiality and the rule of law in all reporting and engagements on Western Sahara. Madam Chair, in August 1988, the Kingdom of Morocco, together with a friend of Polisario, had accepted an outline of the plan provided by the United Nations Secretary General. And I quote, "On the holding of a referendum of self-determination in the people of Western Sahara and on ways and means to ensure the organization and supervision of such referendum by the United Nations in cooperation with the Organization of African Unity." I end the quote there. Now, the AU, And this is in UN Security Council Resolution 658 of 1990. However, 38 years later, the people of Western Sahara continue to be denied their inalienable right to self-determination and freedom. The African Union, where both parties are members, has also been seized with the question of Western Sahara. with a view to bringing about the just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution which will provide for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara in line with the relevant AU decisions and the UN Security Council resolutions. In this respect, the AU Assembly appealed to the parties to the conflict to urgently resume negotiations without preconditions and in good faith. We therefore call on Morocco to do the right thing now, to allow the last African colony to exercise its full right to self-determination through peaceful resolution of this conflict. The United Nations has a responsibility to advance a just and lasting solution of the question of Western Sahara consistent with the Charter of the United Nations and the relevant resolutions on decolonization and self-determination We support the renewal of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara, MINURSO's mandate, and the holding of a United Nations-backed referendum in Western Sahara for the Sahrawi people to finally exercise their right to self-determination. This committee has a responsibility to ensure a mutual, agreeable, lasting political solution between Polisario and the Kingdom of Morocco. Autonomy without sovereignty violates the very fundamental human rights that the United Nations is supposed to protect. The inalienable right to self-determination of the Sahrawi people cannot be entrusted on the whims of the occupying power. Namibia, therefore, fully supports the work of this Committee and remains positive that the question of Western Sahara and all other non-self-governing territories will soon be resolved once and for all. I thank you, Madam Chair.


4th Committee · Chair [1:34:08]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Namibia, and I would like now to hand the floor to the distinguished representative of Haiti. You have the floor.


Haiti [1:34:24]:

Madam Chair, I would like to begin by Warmly congratulating you on your election to chair the Fourth Committee, as well as to the members of the Bureau. In fulfilling your mandate, I can assure you of the wholehearted support of my delegation. Madame Chair. My delegation welcomes the significant progress accomplished by the United Nations in implementing its policy of decolonization of non-self-governing territories. My delegation also has taken note of the report of the Special Committee C-24 and reaffirms its full support to all UN initiatives aimed at organizing visits to non-self-governing territories. These initiatives make it possible to better understand the situation of the inhabitants of those territories in conformity with the relevant resolutions. We also applaud the initiative of the General Assembly requesting the administrative powers to cooperate with the Special Committee in fulfilling its mandate and facilitating the organization of visiting missions to the territories on a case-by-case basis. Madam Chair. Many we have been discussing decolonization Ceaselessly for many many years and on this point my delegation would like to underscore the huge amount of work accomplished by the United Nations which since its creation has Contributed to the independence of many countries. This is a historic progress that must be recognized however Colonial and slave based systems left behind them profoundly painful scars that still severely affect various nations. It is regrettable that these consequences are often ignored. The UN, in fact, is an ideal forum for us Member States to meet in order to find the best approach to turn the page on and colonization and to reflect on the best way that we can provide reparations for this collective crime. Even though we cannot change history, we have the duty to describe the facts as they occurred to current and future generations. We must overcome the fear of speaking of these actions and their consequences. and we must describe them in our texts so that such practices are never again repeated. And with this in mind, we hail the work of the Department of Global Communications of the Secretariat, which has a very heavy responsibility in disseminating information on decolonization in conformity with Resolution 80/104. We urge the Organization to implement this resolution as it was adopted. And my delegation would appreciate very much if the committee could present a report on the activities implemented pursuant to operative paragraph 5 of that resolution, Madam Chair. Taking account of our history marked by the fight against colonialism, Haiti expresses its profound dismay about the destiny of the people living in the 17 non-self-governing territories around the world, my country encourages the Special Committee C-24 to step up its efforts to eradicate the relics of colonialism and calls on the Secretary-General to present a concrete plan on the situation of territories still under administration of administrative powers. Haiti reaffirms its support for political solutions that are inclusive, pragmatic, and lasting to resolve peacefully the conflicts between administering powers and non-self-governing territories. We applaud the initiatives of the UN that favor dialogue among all the stakeholders in this framework. We strongly recommend the United Nations to uphold the principles of equality among peoples and their rights to self-determination in conformity with the UN Charter. We urge the actors concerned to respect the international legal frameworks, such as the resolutions of the General Assembly and the Security Council, with regard to the status of these territories in all decisions concerning the status of these territories. Madam Chair, given the By mentioning the profound consequences of colonization and slavery, I would like to draw the attention of the Committee to the compensation imposed on Haiti in 1825 in exchange for recognition of its independence. Haiti was forced to pay an astronomical sum, which contributed to slowing its economic and social development. This subject, which was a long time relegated to the back burner, now compels us to engage in a transparent and just reflection. In this spirit, my delegation welcomes the establishment of a joint Franco-Haitian commission of historians in charge of examining this period of common, joint history and present conclusion of its work. We are waiting with great interest the publication of this report, which could contribute to a better understanding of the facts and establishment of a shared memory and identifying constructive ways for the future. My delegation also believes that this project deserves particular attention from the United Nations. If this mechanism of dialogue, of historic research and recognition, makes it possible to reach concrete results, results that are just and mutually acceptable, it could constitute a useful experience and even a model to refer to, to examine other situations that are inherited from colonialism and slavery. The United Nations could thus draw inspiration from it to encourage, in other contexts, processes based on historic truth, dialogue, justice, reconciliation, and cooperation among the states concerned. Thank you.


4th Committee · Chair [1:41:10]:

I want to thank the delegation of Haiti. I would now like to give the floor to Sierra Leone.


Sierra Leone [1:41:19]:

Madam Chair, Sierra Leone welcomes the convening of this joint general debate on the decolonization items before us. We note that decolonization remains an unfinished and urgent responsibility of the United Nations. More than six decades after the adoption of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, the continued existence of non-self-governing territories reminds us that the promise enshrined in General Assembly resolution 1514 has not yet been fully realized. For Sierra Leone, this issue carries historical and moral significance. As an African country that emerged from colonial rule, We remain firmly convinced that political independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and the free exercise of self-determination are indispensable foundations for the dignity, development and well-being of all peoples. We therefore reiterate that the peoples of the non-self-governing territories possess the inalienable right to freely determine their political status and to pursue the economic, social, and cultural development in accordance with the Charter and the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly. Madam Chair, my delegation attaches particular importance to the responsibilities of administering powers under Article 73 of the Charter. Administering powers have a solemn obligation to promote the political, economic, social, and educational advancement of the peoples of the territories under their administration, to develop self-development, to take due account of the political aspirations and the peoples concerned, and to transmit information and conditions in those territories. In this regard, we call upon administering powers to cooperate fully and constructively with the C-24 and this fourth committee. Such cooperation should include facilitating visiting missions where appropriate, providing complete and timely information, and supporting meaningful engagement between the United Nations and the peoples of the territories. We also emphasize the importance of ensuring that economic and other activities in non-self-governing territories are conducted in a manner that respect the rights, interests, and well-being of these peoples, while noting that such economic activities must not undermine the exercise of self-determination. CILM further recognizes the value of public information and political education in advancing the decolonization agenda. The United Nations must continue to disseminate objective, accessible, and comprehensive information on the work of the organization, the applicability the applicable legal framework and options available to the peoples of non-self-governing territories. Informed participation is essential if the people concerned are to take decisions freely and meaningfully about their future. Madam Chair, It is imperative to underscore that the quest for self-determination for non-self-governing territories should be treated by this Committee on a case-by-case basis, taking due cognizance of the most credible and viable path to a durable political solution to all non-self-governing territories. With regards to the question of Western Sahara, Sierra Leone supports the United Nations-led political process under the exclusive auspices of the UN Secretary-General and his personal envoy. We believe that the UN process remains the appropriate framework for achieving a realistic, practical, mutually acceptable, and lasting political solution based on compromise. In this context, CILON retrace its support for the Moroccan autonomy initiative, which we regard as a serious and credible basis for advancing the political process. CILON's position is rooted in our broader commitment to peaceful resolution of disputes, dialogue, compromise and respect for the principles of the United Nations Charter, and we therefore welcome the continued efforts of the UN Secretary-General's personal envoy to reinvigorate the political process and encourage all concerned parties to engage constructively and in good faith. Sierra Leone believes that a definitive settlement of this issue would make an important contribution to peace, stability, integration, and economic development in North Africa and across the wider African region. On the question of the Falkland Islands or Malvinas, CLM supports the resumption of negotiations between Argentina and United Kingdom, consistent with relevant General Assembly resolutions and peaceful, constructive dialogue, and takes into account the views and interests of the inhabitants, with a view to achieving a just, sustainable and lasting solution. With respect to Palestine, France reaffirms its steadfast support for a just, lasting and comprehensive peace based on a two-state solution, with Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security within internationally recognized borders in accordance with relevant United Nations resolutions. My delegation further calls for full respect for international law, including international humanitarian law, an end to the occupation and settlement expansion in occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and realization of the Palestinian people's inalienable right to self-determination. Madam Chair, The Fourth Committee has a unique responsibility to preserve the integrity and visibility of the decolonization agenda. It is essential that this work not be allowed to recede the international attention. The international community must instead renew its commitment to implementing in good faith and without delay the declaration of the granting of independence to colonial countries and peoples. CILON remains committed to working with all member states the Special Committee of 24, administering powers, and the peoples of non-self-governing territories to advance a just, peaceful, and durable completion of the decolonization process. I thank you.


4th Committee · Chair [1:48:11]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Sierra Leone for his statement. I would like now to hand the floor to the representative of the United Republic of Tanzania.


United Republic of Tanzania [1:48:23]:

Madam Chair, this is the first occasion which my delegation takes the floor during this session of the Fourth Committee. Allow me to congratulate you and the members of the Bureau on your election and to assure you of Tanzania's full cooperation. Madam Chair, my delegation comes before this committee not merely to fulfill an annual diplomatic routine, but as a nation carrying the living and yielding memory of Africa's liberation. Tanzania has a long history with decolonization. We served at the secretariat of the OAU, Liberation Committee, the sanctuary, the training ground, and a home for freedom fighters across Africa. Mwalim Julius Nyerere, our founding father and the first president, taught us very early, Tanzania cannot consider itself truly free until the world of Africa, and indeed the world, is free from foreign occupation. That teaching remains true to date and honourable to us. Today, as we assemble this 81st session, we must ask ourselves a very honest, uncomfortable question. How can we, in the year 2026, still speak of non-self-governing territories without feeling a collective sense of failure? Consider Western Sahara, the last remaining colony on the African continent. For decades, generations of the Sahrawi people have lived in the harsh climate of the Tindouf refugee camps, waiting for a promise this very Assembly made to them, the right to hold a free, fair, and impartial referendum on self-determination. Children are born in those camps, grow into adulthood, and raise families of their own under the shadow of temporary tents and delayed promises. Tanzania's position on Western Sahara is clear, consistent, and principled. The self-determination of the Sahrawi people is non-negotiable. It is an inalienable right guaranteed by international law and United Nations resolutions. We cannot celebrate Africa's complete sovereignty while the Sahrawi flag is denied its rightful place among fully independent nations. To ignore their plight is to undermine the foundational principle of United Nations Charter. Tanzania calls upon the parties to resume peacefully direct negotiation without delay or preconditions to reach a permanent, just, and mutually acceptable political solution that provides for self-determination in line with the UN Security Council Resolution 1754 and subsequent resolutions. Madam Chair, the colonization cannot remain a permanent item on our agenda. It was meant to be a completed mission, not a continuous debate. Year after year, we gather, deliver statement and draft resolutions, yet people in non-self-governing territories remain in political limbo, waiting for this organization to deliver on its foundational covenant. Does it need to not fight for its own independence only to become a passive spectator to the subjection of others? We stand resolutely with every territory seeking to chart its own destiny from colonialism. Let this 81st session be remembered not as the year we merely repeated our pledges, but as the moment we summoned the political courage to finish the work of a global liberation. I thank you.


4th Committee · Chair [1:51:26]:

I thank the distinguished representative of the United Republic of Tanzania, and I would like now to hand the floor to the distinguished representative of Antigua and Barbuda.


Antigua and Barbuda [1:51:38]:

Thank you, Madam Chair, Excellencies, colleagues, 66 years after the adoption of the historic declaration on the granting of independence to colonial countries and their people, the unfinished business of decolonization remains a profound challenge to our collective commitment to freedom, dignity, and self-determination. Madam Chair, all 17 remaining non-self-governing territories must remain at the top a top priority on the agenda of this organization. Their peoples deserve more than expressions of solidarity. They deserve meaningful progress towards the full realization of the inalienable right to self determination. Madam Chair. As we advance through the fourth international decade for the eradication of colonialism, we must confront an uncomfortable reality. Our progress has not matched our commitment. We cannot permit another decade to pass without tangible achievements. We must ramp up our efforts. This requires renewed political will. Stronger engagement by administering powers. And a more proactive United Nations particularly through the special committee on decolonization C twenty-four. Antigua and Barbuda commends the work of C twenty-four and the actions that's taken through visiting missions, dialogue, and engagement. Madam Chair, the Caribbean remains particularly invested in this unfinished agenda. CARICOM heads of government have constantly supported the the decolonization process including the efforts of the British Virgin Islands to advance towards full self governance. Antigua and Barbuda attaches particular importance to the development in the Virgin Islands. Particularly so due to our economic and familiar ties with this territory. We recognize the aspirations sorry, recognize the aspirations of the people of the Virgin Islands and the important steps being undertaken towards greater self-governance, including discussions surrounding a pre-independence constitutional framework. We encourage continued constructive engagement between the government of the Virgin Islands the United Kingdom and the United Nations around the mutual respect, democratic participation, good governance, and the freely expressed wishes of the people of that territory. Antigua and Barbuda supports Caricom's greater Caricom's effort to keep the situation of the Virgin Islands on the active consideration and to ensure that its people remain central to the decisions affecting their constitutional and the political future. Madam Chair, our position is clear. The future of the Virgin Islands must be determined by its people without external imposition or undue interference. Madam Chair, on the question of Western Sahara, Antigua and Barbuda reaffirms its support for the ongoing United Nations-led political process and the efforts of the Secretary-General and his personal envoy to achieve a just and lasting and mutually acceptable political solution to this matter. We welcome the momentum generated by the Security Council's resolution 2797/2025 and reiterate our support for the Morocco autonomy proposal as a credible and realistic basis for negotiations towards a lasting settlement. We encourage, Madam Chair, all parties to this to be engaged constructively in good faith and in the spirit of compromise consistent with the United Nations Charter and the principle of self-determination to secure a lasting peace stability and development for the peoples of this region excellencies Decolonization must also address the economic and developmental realities confronting small island territories. political self-determination must be accompanied by institutional capacity, economic resilience, climate adaptation, and sustainable development. In this regards, the Antigua and Barbuda agenda for small island developing states, ABAS, adopted in 2024, at the fourth SIDS conference offers an important framework for addressing the structural vulnerabilities that confronts and constraints developing aspirations of small island developing territories. The SIDS Center of Excellence established in Antigua and Barbuda represents a practical contribution to this broader development agenda. Through its focus on data innovation, technology, investment, and work on debt sustainability, the center offers a constructive approach to assisting in the development. We believe, Madam Chair, that these initiatives offer valuable opportunities to support the developmental dimensions of self-governance, while recognizing that economic advancement must be complemented with social and and and is no substitute for the full realization of independence of these territories. Equally, the enduring consequences of colonialism reinforces the importance of the historical justice including CARICOM's continued advocacy for reparation and reparatory justice. Madam Chair, Antiguan Babula calls for renewed renewed urgency, measurable progress, and genuine partnership amongst the United Nations, the administrative powers, and the peoples of these territories. All 17 non-self-governing territories must remain at the forefront of our collective agenda until the promise of nineteen sixty. is achieved. The promise of 1960 is achieved. Madam Chair, we believe that these, the initiatives offered, offer valuable opportunities to support the developmental dimensions of self-governance. Antigua and Barbuda calls for the renewed the renewed efforts of all of us in this in in this calls for the renewed efforts of all of us the to to assist the 17 self non-governing territories towards their plight for freedom and their plight for self governance. I thank you and we offer you, Madam Chair, our full support in your efforts in chairing this committee.


4th Committee · Chair [2:01:24]:

Thank you, Your Excellency. I would like now to hand the floor to the next speaker on my list, the distinguished representative of Togo.

You have the floor.


Togo [2:01:37]:

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I would like, before I begin my statement, to address to you, as well as to all members of the Bureau, my warm congratulations for your election, and I would like to welcome the remarkable way in which you are leading our work. Rest assured that you have the full support of the delegation of Togo in order to discharge your mission throughout this session. In a moment when this session invites us to reestablish trust in multilateralism, Togo reaffirms its unwavering attachment to the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter, specifically the respect for national sovereignty and the territorial integrity of states, as well as the peaceful solution of disputes. And with this spirit, my delegation would like to provide on a national basis several observations on the issue of Western Sahara, which is part of the agenda of this committee. Madam Chair, this regional dispute that has lasted for over half a century hinders regional cooperation and deprives the African continent of important development opportunities. Togo considers that the time has come to consolidate this new dynamic of peace and good neighborly relations in the region, and it's why my country reiterates its full support to the Kingdom of Morocco in their constant efforts to find a political solution that is just, durable, and mutually acceptable. We also reaffirm our support to the political process held under the exclusive auspices of the United Nations on the basis of relevant resolutions of the Security Council, and we welcome the efforts of Mr. Staffan de Mistura, the personal envoy of the Secretary-General, in order to favour dialogue and the continuation of negotiations that have been engaged since the adoption of resolution 2797. Madam Chair. Togo is convinced that the Moroccan autonomy initiative presented to the Secretary-General on 11 April 2007 is the most credible, realistic and pragmatic basis in order to reach a definitive political solution. This conviction is now underpinned by resolution 2797, which was adopted October 31, 2025. Through this resolution, the Security Council called upon the parties to participate in discussions without preconditions and on the basis of the autonomy plan, under the affirmation that a true autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty could constitute one of the most feasible solutions. My delegation, nevertheless, is still concerned by the humanitarian situation in the Tindouf camps. we call for the establishment of transparent mechanisms that would ensure the protection as well as the fundamental rights of people living there, as well as regular and free humanitarian access and the appropriate registration of these people pursuant to the reiterated calls of the Security Council, including in Resolution 2797. Togo would like to also welcome the fact that Morocco is respecting the ceasefire and its continued cooperation with MINURSO. These are essential elements in order to preserve stability and favor dialogue ahead of the review in the Security Council of the mission's mandate. We call upon all the parties to engage in good faith and without preconditions in the negotiations on the basis of the autonomy plan and pursuant to Security Council resolutions in order to make the most of this unprecedented occasion that we have today to install a sustainable peace. Madam Chair, Togo welcomes the opening in Laayoune and Dakhla of several general consulates of Arab, African, American, and Asian countries, including Togo's. These consulates show the growing recognition of the role of the Moroccan Sahara as a hub for development, stability, and regional presence. It also showcases the trust that several partners have in Morocco's vision that favors harmonious regional integration and inclusive development. Togo, faithful to its diplomatic tradition of peace and dialogue, will continue to encourage all honest efforts in order to reach, within the framework established by the Security Council, a definitive and consensus-based political solution to the issue of the Moroccan Sahara, while respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Morocco, as well as the principles of the United Nations Charter. I thank you.


4th Committee · Chair [2:06:38]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Togo, and I would like now to hand the floor to the distinguished representative of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.


Saint Vincent and the Grenadines [2:06:48]:

Thank you, Madam Chair. At the outset, permit me to take this opportunity to congratulate his Excellency Mr. Kohli sec on his election as chair of the fourth committee and of course to extend congratulations to yourself on other Bureau members on your election as well be assured of St Vincent and the Grenadines continued cooperation Madam chair St Vincent and the Grenadines remains fully committed to ending colonialism in all its forms and manifestations We recognize that the question of the Sahara issue remains an important item on the United Nations decolonization agenda. And we underscore the need for sustained efforts to bring this long-standing matter to a peaceful and enduring conclusion. In that spirit, we commend the UN Secretary General and his personal envoy, Mister Staff and the Minister of for their continued efforts to facilitate dialogue among the parties. We encourage the personal envoy to continue his engagement with all concerned. To build consensus and create conditions necessary for meaningful negotiations. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines also recognizes the autonomy plan initiative presented by the Kingdom of Morocco. as a unique solution to solve the regional dispute. In this regard, we respectfully and earnestly implore the parties involved to remain engaged in the political process and to work together towards achieving a realistic, practicable, and enduring solution based on compromise to settle this longstanding sovereignty dispute. We believe that such a solution would serve the best interest of all parties. Madam Chair, at the same time, we remain concerned by the continuation of low-intensity hostilities and its potential to undermine the political process. We therefore encourage all parties to exercise maximum restraint to refrain from actions that could further escalate tensions, and indeed, to prioritize the peaceful resolution of the dispute. Madam Chair, to accomplish our goals, it is vital that we collaborate and make use of all available means of influence to resolve these long-standing sovereignty disputes. Only then can we build the trust and confidence necessary to achieve our shared goal of decolonization. The eradication of colonialism is a complex and ongoing process that requires sustained efforts and genuine effort at all levels of society. As such, we, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, remain dedicated to working with our international partners to ensure that the right to self-determination is respected and upheld and that the legacy of colonialism is fully addressed. I thank you.


4th Committee · Chair [2:10:42]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and I would like now to hand the floor to the distinguished representative of China.


China [2:10:55]:

Chair, China congratulates you on your election and assures you and the Bureau of our active support for your work. China aligns itself with the statement made by Russia on behalf of the Group of Friends in Defense of the UN Charter. At present, the global decolonization process remains unfinished. The fourth International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism is not far from the finishing line, but the peoples of the 17 non-self-governing territories have yet to fully exercise their right to self-determination. Meanwhile, the legacy of colonialism has not yet disappeared with the end of military occupation. There is an urgent need for the international community to take tangible action to advance the decolonization agenda and achieve real progress. In this context, China wishes to propose the following. First, the unfinished business of decolonization must be completed without further delay. China supports advancing the decolonization process of the 17 NSGTS and supports the tireless efforts of the peoples there fighting for their right to self-determination. We call on the administering powers to fulfill their obligations under the Charter and relevant resolutions in good faith, take effective measures to promote local socioeconomic development, and to refrain stalling or obstructing the free choice of the people. The international community should use the fourth decade to scale up political commitment and capacity support, and ensure that this decade is, as envisaged, the last one for rooting out colonialism. Second, we must work together to hold colonialism accountable for its historical crimes. China urges those countries that once imposed colonial rule or benefited therefrom to show political will, accept their historical responsibility, and make reparations for the consequences of colonialism. At the same time, they must stop perpetuating colonial logic, oppose hegemonism and power politics, refrain from harming the interests of other countries or interfering in their internal affairs. And in the area of international relations, they must truly uphold the principles of sovereign equality and non-interference. Third, international fairness and justice must be effectively maintained. The UN Charter provides fundamental guidance for eradicating colonialism and advancing decolonization. The Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples explicitly demands that colonialism in all its forms and manifestations be brought to a speedy and unconditional end. Yet, colonialism left a trail of misery and trouble that can be felt to this day, and the spirit of the Charter on this matter has yet to be fully implemented. China calls on the international community to revert to the UN's founding mission as enshrined in the Charter, accelerate decolonization, eradicate the legacy of colonialism, and uphold international fairness and justice. Chair, the question of the Malvinas Islands and that of Western Sahara are a case in point as they are both legacies of the colonial past. China firmly supports Argentina's legitimate claim to sovereignty over the Malvinas and consistently advocates that territorial disputes between countries be resolved through peaceful negotiations. We hope that the UK will respond positively to Argentina's request, resume dialogue and talks as soon as possible, and find a peaceful, just, and lasting solution in line with relevant UN resolutions. It is China's consistent position that parties to the question of Western Sahara be guided by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and base their actions on the relevant Security Council resolutions. They should work towards a just, lasting, and mutually acceptable solution through consultations on an equal footing within the framework of international law, the relevant UN resolutions in particular. We support the UN's efforts to this end. Chair, once a long-suffering victim of foreign aggression and colonial oppression, China understands only too well that independence and dignity do not come easily. China is committed to working with fellow member states, especially countries in the global south, to jointly advance the fourth international decade for the eradication of colonialism towards a positive outcome. Together, we can and shall shape a brighter future for humanity. Thank you, Chair.


4th Committee · Chair [2:15:39]:

I thank the distinguished representative of China, and I would like now to hand the floor to the distinguished representative of Jordan. You have the floor.


Jordan [2:15:59]:

Thank you, Madam Chair. At the outset, allow me to congratulate you on presiding this committee, as well as the other members of the Bureau, this Fourth Committee, Special Political Questions and Decolonization. thank the representative of Guatemala for presiding this committee in the previous session. We look forward to working with you, with the Bureau, the Vice-Chairs, to implement our goals. You are all dedicated and skilled colleagues.

Regarding

our item, we welcome the adoption by the Security Council of Resolution 2797 in 2025 and the momentum it instilled to the political process, to the support it lent to the negotiations based on the autonomy plan tabled by the brotherly Kingdom of Morocco to reach a final political solution acceptable to all parties. We also congratulate the Secretary-General for his efforts, as well as his personal envoy, to facilitate the negotiating process between all parties to reach a realistic and permanent solution. And we reiterate our support to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Morocco over the Sahara. Thank you.


4th Committee · Chair [2:17:45]:

Distinguished representative of Jordan for his statement. And I would like now to hand the floor to the distinguished representative of Equatorial Guinea. You have the floor.


Equatorial Guinea [2:18:02]:

Thank you, Madam Chair. Allow me, first of all, to congratulate you and the rest of the Bureau and your well-deserved election to lead the work of this august committee you can count on the full cooperation of my delegation we would also like to extend our first our congratulations to the outgoing bureau for its excellent work carried out during the previous session madam chair I am addressing once again this distinguished committee to reaffirm as if we do every year that the firm unshakable commitment of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea to the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, the fight for self-determination of peoples and the eradication of colonialism in all its forms and manifestations. This is why we acknowledge the work carried out by this committee as well as the tireless efforts of the Special Decolonization Committee. However, Our task is not finished, and we must continue until we ensure that all the territories under occupation of colonizing powers obtain their independence and thus eradicate colonialism in all its manifestations, which imply grave challenge to the fundamental principles of the UN Charter and international law. With this in mind, we urge the administrative powers to cooperate fully with this Committee and with the international community to accelerate the process of decolonization in the non-self-governing territories. It is essential that this process be accelerated without any delay. Madam Chair, I would like to focus now on the issue of Western Sahara. It's a complex topic with deep historical ties and geopolitical considerations that require a nuanced understanding and a renewed commitment to the search for a realistic, pragmatic, and lasting solution that is based on compromise and consensus. For this reason, we believe that it is essential to acknowledge and support the efforts of the personal envoy of the Secretary General, Mr. Staffan de Mistura, to promote the relaunching of the political process is under the exclusive auspices of the UN Secretary-General in order to find a political solution that is realistic, practical, and lasting to the regional dispute over Western Sahara. On this point, my delegation supports the initiative of Moroccan autonomy considered as a serious and credible proposal by the Security Council to resolve this regional dispute. an initiative that increasingly has received the support and international recognition. It's an initiative that seeks to achieve an inclusive development, empower the population, ensure their rights and their participation in the management of their own future, while at the same time preserving regional stability. Madam Chair. It is extremely important to acknowledge efforts for the development of Western Sahara undertaken by the Kingdom of Morocco, its significant investment in infrastructure, education, health care, and economic opportunities. These investments have not only improved the quality of life of the inhabitants of this territory, but also have demonstrated a tangible commitment to the process and prosperity of the region. With this in mind, we'd like to also highlight the commitment of Morocco to the ceasefire and its full cooperation with MINURSO. This commitment reflects a firm conviction that the path towards peace and stability in the region is through dialogue and international cooperation. As we have been repeating year after year, we believe it's necessary to recognize and highlight the efforts and the commitment of the Kingdom of Morocco in this process. Its proposal offers the door to a constructive dialogue among all the stakeholders. It promotes regional cooperation and understanding, which are essential elements to build a peaceful and prosperous future. Bearing that in mind, we would like to make an appeal to resume conversations through the mechanism of the roundtable promoted by the United Nations in its initial format and with the four participants, as stated in Resolution 2440 of the Security Council, so that they participate in good faith with a goal of finding a political solution that is lasting, mutually acceptable to this dispute. And to conclude, Madam Chair, we'd like to reiterate once again our support for the efforts of the Secretary General of the UN, and we'd like to urge this committee to consider the Moroccan proposal with the seriousness and pragmatism that it deserves. It's an opportunity to advance towards a solution that benefits all the parties, that promotes regional stability, and that ultimately fulfills the the spirit of decolonization while adapting that spirit to the challenges of the 21st century. Thank you.


4th Committee · Chair [2:23:27]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Equatorial Guinea, and I would like now to hand the floor to the distinguished representative of Burundi.


Burundi [2:23:44]:

Thank you, Madam Chair. The delegation of Burundi would like to reaffirm its attachment to the principles and purposes enshrined in the UN Charter. in particular respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity of states, and the peaceful resolution of disputes. In this spirit, Burundi considers it important to continue efforts aimed at resolving longstanding regional issue pertaining to Moroccan Sahara in this period of dialogue, realism, compromise, and cooperation to reach a politically lasting solution. At this point, Burundi welcomes the adoption of resolution 2797 of 2025 of the Security Council, which contributes to a new impetus to the political process led under the auspices of the United Nations, under the leadership of the Secretary-General, and with the the coordination of his personal envoi. We reaffirm our support to the political process under UN auspices and encourage all parties concerned to participate in it in good faith, in a constructive manner, in line with the relevant resolutions of the Security Council. Burundi considers that realism and compromise should continue to guide efforts aimed at reaching a political solution that is definitive, pragmatic, and mutually acceptable. On this point, we reaffirm our support for the Moroccan autonomy initiative, which we consider as a serious and credible basis to contribute to a lasting political solution to this matter. We also encourage all parties to demonstrate restraint and refrain from any action that could aggravate tensions, fuel distrust, or compromise the dynamic of the peace process. Burundi also takes note of the efforts undertaken by the Kingdom of Morocco in favor of economic and social development of its southern provinces, and in particular in the area of infrastructure, renewable energy, education, and local governance. encourage initiatives aimed at promoting sustainable development and participation of local populations. We also attach particular importance to democratic participation and the promotion of human rights. On this point, we take note of the participation of the population of the region of Morocco and Sahara in the legislative elections of the 23rd of September of this year, as well as the role of the regional councils that were elected, as well as the presence of international observers. Burundi considers that progress in resolving this issue would contribute to the stability and the development of the Maghreb, as well as would strengthen regional cooperation and integration with positive impact for the entire Sahel region. Madam Chair, Burundi is convinced that a political process led by under the UNS auspices based on dialogue, realism, and compromise is the most appropriate way to achieve a lasting solution. We encourage all parties to take advantage of this dynamic in order to make progress towards a political solution to the benefit peace, stability and development and the dignity of other populations concerned. Thank you.


4th Committee · Chair [2:27:11]:

Thank you, Mr. Representative of Burundi, for his statement. And I would like now to hand the floor to the distinguished representative of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.


United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland [2:27:24]:

Thank you very much. Dear chairs, this is the first formal statement that the United Kingdom has made to the committee in the session. Before I begin, I want to place on record my delegation's congratulations to you and members of the bureau on your election. We look forward to working productively with you throughout the session. As the committee has heard before, the United Kingdom has a modern relationship with all its overseas territories. based on partnership, on shared values and on the right of the people of each territory to choose to remain British or not. The United Kingdom overseas territories are self-governing, subject only to the UK retaining powers to carry out its obligations under international law. We have a close bilateral relationship with each territory, and the United Kingdom and the overseas territory Governments hold a joint ministerial council each year to monitor and drive forward collective priorities for action in the spirit of partnership, considering the uniqueness and diversity of each territory. We are committed to supporting the territories on their priorities, including environmental protection and carrying out our constitutional responsibilities, including guaranteeing security. Indeed, we consider the territories to be a core part of the UK homeland when it comes to our defence and security responsibilities. Across the territories, we provide financial and practical support to build local capacity and resilience where it is needed. Our near-100-million programme for reconstruction after Hurricane Irma hit Anguilla is now complete. In other territories, a new port is now operational on Santa Elena, a new hospital is nearing construction on Montserrat, and new coastal radars are operational on Turks and Caicos. I will address specific points relating to three of the United Kingdom's overseas territories. The first is Gibraltar. The United Kingdom is clear that the people of Gibraltar enjoy the right to self-determination, in accordance with the charter of the United Nations. The 2006 Gibraltar constitution, which was endorsed in a referendum by the people of Gibraltar, provides for a modern and mature partnership between Gibraltar and the United Kingdom. It is only right, therefore, that the committee has heard directly from the chief minister of Gibraltar, as the elected representative of its people. We welcome the Government of Gibraltar's participation. The United Kingdom restates its long-standing commitment to the people of Gibraltar. The United Kingdom will not enter into arrangements under which the people of Gibraltar would pass under the sovereignty of another state against their freely and democratically expressed wishes. Nor will we ever enter into a process of sovereignty negotiations with which Gibraltar is not content. The United Kingdom welcomes the agreement in respect of Gibraltar between the European Union and the United Kingdom, signed in Brussels on 14 July 2026. The agreement, in which the United Kingdom works side by side with the Government of Gibraltar, is without prejudice to the respective legal positions of the United Kingdom and Spain with regard to sovereignty and jurisdiction, and reaffirms that those positions remain unchanged. It also reflects a new era of co-operation, trust and respect between the United Kingdom, the European Union, Spain and Gibraltar. The United Kingdom encourages all parties to build on that positive momentum in order to further strengthen co-operation and foster a mutually beneficial relationship based on solidarity, dialogue and shared prosperity. Secondly, the Falkland Islands. The United Kingdom has no doubt about its sovereignty over both the Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands and their surrounding maritime areas. Nor do we have any doubt about the Falkland Islanders' right of self-determination. That right is enshrined in the UN charter and in article 1 of both UN covenants on human rights, by virtue of which they are free to determine their political status and to pursue their economic, social and cultural development. In the 2013 referendum, which was conducted in line with international standards and was observed by independent international observers, 99.8 per cent of those who voted wanted to remain in their current status as a British overseas territory. Argentina's decision to initiate arbitration against the United Kingdom under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea is the latest attempt to undermine the rights and livelihoods of the people of the Falkland Islands. The people of the Falkland Islands have freely and democratically chosen their future, and they have every right to develop and manage their natural resources without intimidation, coercion or interference from others. Hydrocarbon activities on the Falkland Islands continental shelf are regulated under Falkland Islands law and conducted in full accordance with international law, including UNCLOS. The United Kingdom will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Falkland Islands Government and the Falkland Islanders. We will robustly defend their wishes, their economy and their right to determine their own future. Thirdly, the British Virgin Islands. The committee has heard from the Premier. There is no change to the United Kingdom's long-standing position. Where it is the clear and constitutionally expressed will of British Virgin Islanders to pursue independence, the United Kingdom Government will meet its obligations to help the territory achieve it. For as long as the British Virgin Islands remains an overseas territory, the United Kingdom is committed to working in partnership with the BVI Government to deliver in the interests of all its people. We have been holding constructive talks on constitutional reform in that spirit, and we will keep the committee informed of the outcome of those talks. The United Kingdom remains committed to respecting and defending the right of the people of each territory to determine their own future, in line with the UN charter. I also reassure you that the United Kingdom will continue to carry out our responsibilities as part of our modern partnership with each of the territories.


4th Committee · Chair [2:33:41]:

I thank the distinguished representative of the United Kingdom for his statement. I would like now to hand the floor to the distinguished representative of Liberia. You have the floor.


Liberia [2:33:54]:

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, Liberia congratulates you and other members of the Bureau upon your election and expresses its support for the significant work of this committee. You can count on our full cooperation. My delegation reaffirms its commitment to the complete eradication of colonialism in all its forms and manifestations. For Liberia, decolonization is not simply an agenda item of the United Nations. It is a cause deeply connected to our history, our national identity, and our conviction that all peoples are entitled to dignity, freedom, and a meaningful voice in shaping their political future. Liberia has long stood in solidarity with peoples seeking freedom, equality, and self-government. We therefore approach the unfinished work of decolonization with historical responsibility and firm commitment to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. The continued existence of non-self-governing territories reminds us that this work remains incomplete. At the same time, each territory has its own history, geography, political, economic, and social realities. Each situation must therefore be considered on its own merits with due regard for the aspirations of the people concerned and the applicable United Nations framework. A principled approach must also be practical. It must help people. move from prolonged uncertainty toward political stability, human dignity, and sustainable development. Madam Chair, it is within this principled and practical framework that Liberia considers the question of Western Sahara. Western Sahara occupies a distinctive place within the United Nations system. While the question remains before the Fourth Committee and the Special Committee on Decolonization, it is also the subject of an active political and peace and security process under the authority of the Security Council. The Council remains seized of the matter. It considers the situation regularly, renews the mandate of MONUSCO, and support the efforts of the Secretary-General and his Special Envoy to facilitate a political solution. The active Security Council engagement distinguishes Western Sahara procedurally and politically from the other remaining cases on the list of non-self-governing territories. Recognizing this distinction does not diminish the responsibilities of this committee. Rather, it requires coherence across the United Nations system and support for a unified political process capable of producing durable settlement. As an elected member of the Security Council, Liberia has a direct responsibility to engage seriously and constructively with this question. We must consider its historical and decolonization dimensions, as well as its implication for international peace and security, the ceasefire, and the stability and cooperation across the Maghreb and the wider African continent. Liberia, therefore, believes that the work of the Fourth Committee should complement and reinforce the United Nations-led political process, while avoiding fragmented approaches that could harden positions or pull the parties in different directions. Madam Chair, Security Council Resolution 2797 of 2005 provides important direction It reaffirms the objective of achieving a just, lasting, and mutually acceptable political solution based on compromise and consistent with the purposes and principles of the Charter, including self-determination. It also supports negotiations taking Morocco's autonomous proposal as the basis and reaffirms that genuine autonomy under the Moroccan sovereignty could constitute a most feasible solution. Liberia supports this direction. We reaffirm our support for the Kingdom of Morocco and for the Moroccan autonomy proposal as the most realistic and feasible basis presently available for advancing the United Nations-led political process. This position is principled, considered, and consistent with Liberia's history. Liberia has consistently promoted dialogue over confrontation, mediation over escalation, and peaceful settlement over prolonged conflict. Our support for the autonomy proposal reflects the same commitment. After decades of stalemate, the parties and the international community must give serious attention to a concrete framework capable of generating negotiations and producing a sustainable political outcome. Diplomacy cannot be limited to repeating positions that have not produced agreement. Effective diplomacy must narrow differences, identify areas of convergence, and help the parties build a settlement that can endure. For Liberia, the Moroccans' autonomy proposal is not the conclusion of diplomacy, but a credible basis for serious diplomacy. It provides a framework around which the parties can negotiate many for local governance, preserve stability, and concrete opportunities. for development while maintaining peace, while maintaining a space for constructive suggestions, adaptation, and mutually acceptable agreement. The process must remain inclusive, United Nations-led, and consistent with the Charter. A durable solution cannot emerge from rhetoric or unilateral action. It must be built through good faith engagement, political, courage, and willingness to compromise. Liberia commends the effort of the Secretary General and his personal envoy. We encourage Morocco, the Front Polisario, Algeria, and Mauritania to engage constructively in the political process. Madam Chair, Liberia's position is also informed by wider interests of Africa. The absence of a settlement constrains cooperation and economic integration in the Maghreb, and complicates collective responses to shared peace, security, and development challenges. A credible political settlement could open the possibilities for regional cooperation, trade, investment, and connectivity. Liberia, therefore, does not view progress on Western Sahara as a victory for one party over another, but as an opportunity to replace prolonged uncertainty with negotiation stability and shared prosperity. Liberia respects the different perspectives held by states on the question. We do not seek to disregard the concerns of historical experiences and underlying those positions. We instead call for convergence around principles we broadly share: fidelity to the Charter, support for Secretary General and his Special Envoy, respect for the ceasefire, constructive participation by all concerned, and the pursuit of a just, lasting, and mutually acceptable political solution. Our task now is to translate principles into progress. Liberia urges all parties to engage constructively in the United Nations-led process and to work toward a durable settlement that advances peace, stability, dignity for the people's concern. And I thank you.


4th Committee · Chair [2:43:27]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Liberia for his statement, and I would like now to hand the floor to the distinguished representative of Lesotho.


Lesotho [2:43:39]:

Madam Chair, distinguished delegates, at the outset, the Kingdom of Lesotho would like to congratulate you for your stewardship of the proceedings of this committee since the beginning of this session. The question of decolonization and implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and People remains central to the work of this committee. Lesotho reaffirms its unwavering support for the absolute right of all peoples to self-determination, independence and freedom from colonial domination, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and General Assembly resolution 1514. This has long been a principle for my country and remains a matter of fundamental importance to the international community. Madam Chair, the continued existence of non-self-governing territories serves as a reminder that the aspirations embodied in the Charter have yet to be fully realized. Lesotho, therefore, joins other Member States in calling for renewed commitment and constructive engagement by all stakeholders to advance the decolonization process and ensure the full implementation of relevant United Nations resolutions. The perspectives shared by petitioners before this committee underscore the importance of maintaining attention on the concerns and aspirations of the people of the territories. In this regard, Lesotho reiterates its support for the work of the Special Committee on Decolonization and encourages the administering powers, the United Nations, system and all relevant stakeholders to cooperate fully in promoting the political, economic and social development of the territories while respecting the wishes and interests of their peoples. With respect to Western Sahara, Lesotho remains concerned that this long-standing decolonization question remains unresolved despite decades of engagement by the United Nations. We reaffirm the right of the Sahrawi people to self-determination in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly and the principles of international law. We further stress the importance of continued dialogue, restraint, and good faith engagement by all parties. Respect for human rights and fundamental freedom must remain an integral component of the efforts to resolve the situation and advance a peaceful future for the people of Western Sahara. Madam Chair. The situation between Israelis and Palestinians, particularly ongoing human rights and humanitarian concerns in Gaza, continue to deserve the attention of the international community. In this regard, Lesotho reaffirms its support for a two-state solution whereby Israel and Palestine coexist in peace, security, and harmony. Madam Chair, we must collectively renew our determination to complete the unfinished task of decolonization. The credibility of multilateral system depends on our ability to uphold the principles of self-determination and ensure that no people are left behind in the realization of their legitimate aspirations. In conclusion, Lesotho renews its call for genuine dialogue and peaceful settlement of all decolonization-related disputes and reiterates its steadfast support for the right of all people who have not yet exercised the right to determine freely their political status and pursue their economic, social and cultural development. I thank you.


4th Committee · Chair [2:47:34]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Lesotho for her statement, and I would like now to hand the floor to the distinguished representative of Dominica as the last speaker in the general debate today.


Dominica [2:47:52]:

Madam Chair, it is my honor to make this statement on behalf of the government of the Commonwealth of Dominica. Let me start by congratulating you on your election to guide this forum's activities. Madam Chair, Dominica hereby renews its pledge to support the work of this committee and notes the challenging character of its work. Dominica also hereby renews its commitment to participating in programs and activities of this forum with our usual persistence and transparency. We continue to take note of the complexity of the challenges confronting non-self-governing territories in the present global context, but maintain our view that the line of diplomacy must never be compromised. Permit me now, Madam Chair, to address more specifically the question of Western Sahara. My delegation welcomes the historic adoption of resolution 2797 of 2025, which is accelerating efforts towards a just, lasting political solution to the dispute on the exclusive basis of the autonomy initiative on the Moroccan sovereignty. In this regard, We welcome the new momentum that the resolution has imparted into the political process, particularly the three rounds of discussions among the four parties, Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania, and Polisario, held in Washington and Madrid on the basis of the Moroccan autonomy proposal. We hereby express our continued support for the efforts of Mr. Staffan de Mistura, personal envoy of the Secretary-General, to facilitate the process. and encourage all parties to remain engaged and seize this historic opportunity to reach a realistic, pragmatic, political solution to this regional dispute that has lasted a half century. We reiterate the call of Resolution 2797 on the importance of respecting the ceasefire and avoiding any act that jeopardizes the peace process And in this regard, we commend Morocco's continued commitment to that ceasefire. We welcome Morocco's full cooperation with MINURSO and the Security Council's willingness to further adapt the mandate of the mission, considering the developments in the political process. We underscore the significant socioeconomic development dynamic in the Moroccan southern provinces, driven by royal initiative and under the new development model of 2015. We welcome the growing international dynamic indicated by the opening of consulates general in Laayoune and Dakhla, and by the growing list of countries that are expanding their consular political and economic activities in the Moroccan southern provinces. In closing, Madam Chair, Dominica will continue to support solutions only through a diplomatic process, as clearly outlined in the UN Charter, and fervently hopes that an amicable solution will be reached at the soonest. I thank you.


4th Committee · Chair [2:51:20]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Dominica for his statement. Dear colleagues, the exercise of the right of reply has been requested. Delegations are reminded of the maximum of two interventions, with the first intervention limited to five minutes and the second to three minutes. And with this, I would like to call on the distinguished representative of Spain for his first right of reply. You have five minutes.


Spain [2:51:48]:

Muchas gracias.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I would like to exercise my right of reply regarding the statement made by the distinguished representative of the United Kingdom. Without wanting to repeat arguments that we've already brought forth during this session, I would like to briefly touch upon two issues. First, This organization on numerous occasions has said that Gibraltar is a colony and that this negatively affects the unity and territorial integrity of Spain and that it is incompatible with Resolution 1514. That is why it is included in the list of 17 non-self-governing territories. And that is why the GA has since 1964 encouraged that the issue of Gibraltar is solved definitively and the way to solve that is for the UK and Spain to establish negotiations and comply with the goals of the Special Committee on Decolonization. And only the United Nations can decide when the process of Gibraltar's decolonization will have been completed. and therefore resolution 2353 specifies that Gibraltar's decolonization must be governed by the principle of territorial integrity. This is why the General Assembly condemned the referendum held in the 1960s. In short, The General Assembly has been clear by denying the existence of a supposed right to self-determination of a supposed people in Gibraltar. There is no such a thing. Now, if we are asked in the framework of negotiations to solve the issue of Gibraltar to bear in mind the interests of people living in the territory, both Spain and the UK, yes. And actually, I would like to recall that when Gibraltar was conquered, this conquest was immediately followed by the expulsion of the original population in Gibraltar that had to move to neighboring regions known as the Campo de Gibraltar, and then settlers progressively settled in the area given by the Treaty of Utrecht in Article 10. Therefore, Spain rejects any attempt from the administering power and authorities of the colonized territory to alter their political situation, their political relationship, to pretend there is no, that there is no kind of colonial link, at the same time that they defend a supposed right to self-determination and that they defend being removed from the list of non-self-governing territories. There is no modern relationship, this is a colonial relationship that is dressed in new clothing. Moreover, and in the same fashion, I would also like to recall that, yes, on July 15, the agreement between the UK and the European Union provisionally began to be applied. This agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom has as a goal the creation of a shared prosperity area to benefit citizens in the region. And it is important to point out that it is established without prejudice to the respective legal positions of Spain and the United Kingdom with respect to the sovereignty and jurisdiction of the territory. In short, When it comes to the issue of Gibraltar, there is no other solution but a negotiated decolonization process that would be held between Spain and the UK under the terms established by the United Nations. And of course, it is a process for which Spain is totally open to. I thank you.


4th Committee · Chair [2:55:41]:

I thank the representative of Spain for his first right of reply and I would like now to hand the floor to the representative of Argentina. You have five minutes.


Argentina [2:55:57]:

Thank you very much. In response to the allegations made by the UK on the Malvinas Islands, the Argentine delegation would like to reiterate in very strong terms the statements made by the President of the Republic in the General Assembly on the 23rd of September and the Argentine Foreign Minister when he considered this in the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United Nations on 25 June. Argentina recalls that the Malvinas, the South Georgia Islands and South Sandwich Islands are part of the territory of Argentina and they're illegally occupied by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. They are under a territorial dispute and this dispute has been recognized by several international organizations. The UK's illegal occupation has led the GA to adopt 10 resolutions on the issue, starting with 2075, which recognizes the existence of the territorial dispute and references the issue of the Malvinas Islands, and it urges the governments of the Republic of Argentina and the UK to renew negotiations in order to find, as soon as possible, a peaceful and lasting solution to this dispute. The Special Committee on Decolonization has expressed itself in these terms recently through the resolution adopted on the 25th of June of this year, Madam Chair. The decision to initiate arbitration against the UK on the basis of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea is a clear is clear proof of the Republic of Argentina's respect for international law and our determination to exercise our sovereign rights through peaceful means. This as a goal to advance solving a territorial dispute that the UK is ignoring which is the flagrant disregard of calls from the international community we reject that the UK characterizes this recourse to arbitration in the framework of UNCLOS as an attempt to undermine the interests of people living on the Malvinas Islands nothing could be further from the truth Argentina constitutionally committed to respecting their way of life but this does not mean that Argentina has to tolerate that its sovereign rights are undermined due to unilateral positions from the UK that irreversibly impact the area under territorial dispute. The population of the Malvinas Islands do not have the right to self-determination, this is a foreign population, in order to perpetuate the colonial settlement of a stolen territory, before they arrived to the Malvinas islands there were already Argentines living there, working and prospering under our flag. Argentinians were violently expelled from the island in 1833 by British forces and our land was taken away from us to be subject to a colonial regime that continues to this day. This does not mean that the passage of time has legitimized that theft. nor do they now have any kind of supposed right to self-determination to this population that came to substitute the population that was expelled by force. This is why the GA has avoided references to the right to self-determination for the population of the island. The Malvinas Islands do not have a democratic system, nor do they have autonomy. On the contrary, they are subject to a specific colonial regime, as the UN Special Committee on Decolonization recognizes every year. The colonial regime imposed by the UK is based on the exclusion of the Argentinian people that was expelled by force from the archipelago and still has a prohibition from returning due to this occupation. In the framework of that colonial regime, the UK administers the islands and designated governor that has the last word on all relevant decisions. This includes granting licenses to explore and exploit hydrocarbons. The activities of the UK on the continental shelf of Argentina are not just illegal because they violate Argentinian sovereignty and ENCLAVE. They also violate resolutions from the General Assembly of the United Nations, resolution that encourages Argentina and the UK to avoid any decision that may unilaterally modify the situation while the dispute continues to exist. This solution came in 1936 when the UK was already exploring hydrocarbons unilaterally. To conclude, Madam Chair, the Republic of Argentina reaffirms its sovereignty over the Malvinas Islands, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands, as well as surrounding maritime areas. They are an integral part of the national Argentinian territory. Malvinas belong to Argentina in history and rights. Thank you.


4th Committee · Chair [3:00:57]:

I thank the representative of Argentina. And I do not see any further requests for rights of reply at this stage. With that, dear colleagues, the Committee will reconvene tomorrow, Tuesday 13 October, in the same conference room at 10 am, to continue and conclude the joint general debate on the decolonization items. Immediately following the conclusion of the general debate on decolonization items tomorrow, and pursuant to our decision last Friday to maximize the utilization of our conference services, we will commence consideration of agenda item 124, entitled "Revitalization of the Work of the General Assembly." I would also like to remind colleagues that on Thursday 15th October, we will take action on draft proposals submitted under agenda items 52 to 57. The Secretariat has distributed via e-delegate a non-paper listing all the draft proposals last Friday. Action on these drafts in the Committee will follow the sequence as listed in the non-paper. The meeting is adjourned.