Questions of American Samoa, Anguilla, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Guam, Montserrat, Pitcairn, St. Helena, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the United States Virgin Islands Resolutions

A/RES/51/224View PDF

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

A Resolution of the General Assembly, under agenda item 19 Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, published in 1997.

What other versions does this mandate have?

6 versions · 1997–2003

This is an older version — the most recent is A/RES/57/138A-B

Year	Symbol	Title	Word length	Text similarity
2003	A/RES/57/138A-B	Questions of American Samoa, Anguilla, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Guam, Montserrat, Pitcairn, St. Helena, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the United States Virgin Islands resolutions	7,068	62%Compare
2002	A/RES/56/72	Questions of American Samoa, Anguilla, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Guam, Montserrat, Pitcairn, St. Helena, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the United States Virgin Islands resolutions	6,021	93%Compare
2001	A/RES/55/144	Questions of American Samoa, Anguilla, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Guam, Montserrat, Pitcairn, St. Helena, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the United States Virgin Islands resolutions	6,086	87%Compare
2000	A/RES/54/90	Questions of American Samoa, Anguilla, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Guam, Montserrat, Pitcairn, St. Helena, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the United States Virgin Islands resolutions	5,556	81%Compare
1999	A/RES/53/67	Questions of American Samoa, Anguilla, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Guam, Montserrat, Pitcairn, St. Helena, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the United States Virgin Islands resolutions	5,016	80%Compare

What subjects does this mandate have?

14 subjects

American Samoa Question Anguilla Question Bermuda Question British Virgin Islands Question Cayman Islands Question Decolonization Guam Question Montserrat Question Non-Self-Governing Territories Pitcairn Question Saint Helena Question Self-Determination of Peoples Turks and Caicos Islands Question United States Virgin Islands Question

What’s in this document?

48 operative paragraphs

A

Approves the chapter of the report of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples relating to American Samoa, Anguilla, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Guam, Montserrat, Pitcairn, St. Helena, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the United States Virgin Islands,1 and takes note of the recommendations contained therein subject to the changes introduced by the present resolution;

Reaffirms the inalienable right of the peoples of the Territories to self-determination, including, if they so wish, independence, in conformity with the Charter of the United Nations and General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV), containing the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples;

Reaffirms also that it is ultimately for the peoples of the Territories themselves to determine freely their future political status in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Charter, the Declaration and the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly, and in that connection calls upon the administering Powers, in cooperation with the territorial Governments, to facilitate programmes of political education in the Territories in order to foster an awareness among the people of their right to self-determination in conformity with legitimate political status options, including those defined in resolution 1541 (XV);

Requests the administering Powers to transmit to the Secretary-General information called for under Article 73 e of the Charter and other information and reports, including reports on the wishes and aspirations of the peoples of the Territories regarding their future political status as expressed in fair and free referendums and other forms of popular consultation, as well as the results of any informed and democratic processes consistent with practice under the Charter which indicate the clear and freely expressed wish of the people to change the existing status of the Territories;

Stresses the importance for the Special Committee to be apprised of the views and wishes of the peoples of the Territories and to enhance its understanding of their conditions;

Reaffirms that United Nations visiting missions to the Territories at an appropriate time and in consultation with the administering Power are an effective means of ascertaining the situation in the Territories, and requests the administering Powers and the elected representatives of the peoples of the Territories to assist the Special Committee in this regard;

Reaffirms also the responsibility of the administering Powers under the Charter to promote the economic and social development and to preserve the cultural identity of the Territories, and recommends that priority continue to be given, in consultation with the territorial Governments concerned, to the strengthening and diversification of their respective economies;

Requests the administering Powers in consultation with the peoples of the Territories to take all necessary measures to protect and conserve the environment of the Territories under their administration against any environmental degradation, and requests the specialized agencies concerned to continue to monitor environmental conditions in those Territories;

Calls upon the administering Powers, in cooperation with the respective territorial Governments, to continue to take all necessary measures to counter problems related to drug trafficking, money laundering and other offences;

Stresses that eradication of colonialism by the year 2000 requires the full and constructive cooperation of all parties concerned;

Takes note of the particular circumstances which prevail in the Territories concerned, and encourages the political evolution in them towards self-determination;

Urges Member States to contribute to the efforts of the United Nations to usher in the twenty-first century in a world free of colonialism, and calls upon them to continue to give their full support to the Special Committee in its endeavours towards that noble goal;

Invites the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system to initiate or to continue to take all necessary measures to accelerate progress in the social and economic life of the Territories;

Requests the Special Committee to continue the examination of the question of the small Territories and to submit a report thereon to the General Assembly at its fifty-second session, including recommendations on appropriate ways to assist the peoples of the Territories to exercise their right to self-determination.

B

Requests the administering Power, bearing in mind the views of the people of the Territory ascertained through a democratic process, to keep the Secretary-General informed of the wishes and aspirations of the people regarding their future political status;

Calls upon the administering Power to continue to assist the territorial Government in the economic and social development of the Territory, including measures to rebuild financial management capabilities and strengthen other governmental functions of the Government of the Territory;

II. Anguilla

Noting that information considered by the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples was made available from published sources,

Conscious of the commitment of both the Government of Anguilla and the administering Power to a new and closer policy of dialogue and partnership through the Country Policy Plan for 1993-1997,

Aware of the efforts of the Government of Anguilla to continue to develop the Territory as a viable offshore centre and well-regulated financial centre for investors, by enacting modern company and trust laws, as well as partnership and insurance legislation, and computerizing the company registry system,

Noting the need for continued cooperation between the administering Power and the territorial Government in tackling the problems of drug trafficking and money laundering,

Calls upon the administering Power and all countries, organizations and United Nations agencies to continue to assist the Territory in social and economic development;

III. Bermuda

Noting the results of the independence referendum held on 16 August 1995 in Bermuda,

Conscious of the different viewpoints of the political parties of the Territory on the future status of the Territory,

Noting the measures taken by the Government to combat racism and the plan to set up a Commission for Unity and Racial Equality,

Noting also the report of the intended closure of the foreign military bases and installations in the Territory,

Taking into consideration the statement made in October 1995 by the Finance Minister on the transfer of those lands for development projects,

Calls upon the administering Power to continue its programmes of socio-economic development of the Territory;

Requests the administering Power to elaborate, in consultation with the territorial Government, programmes of development specifically intended to alleviate the economic, social and environmental consequences of the closure of certain military bases and installations in the Territory;

IV. British Virgin Islands

Noting the completion of the constitutional review in the British Virgin Islands and the coming into force of the amended Constitution, and noting also the results of the general elections held on 20 February 1995,

Noting also the results of the constitutional review of 1993-1994, which made it clear that a prerequisite to independence must be a constitutionally expressed wish by the people as a result of a referendum,

Taking note of the statement made in 1995 by the Chief Minister of the British Virgin Islands that the Territory was ready for constitutional and political advancement towards full internal self-government and that the administering Power should assist through the gradual transfer of power to elected territorial representatives,

Noting that the Territory is emerging as one of the world's leading offshore financial centres,

Noting also the need for continued cooperation between the administering Power and the territorial Government in countering drug trafficking and money laundering,

Also requests the administering Power, the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system and all financial institutions to continue to provide assistance to the Territory for socio-economic development and the development of human resources, bearing in mind the vulnerability of the Territory to external factors;

V. Cayman Islands

Noting also the constitutional review of 1992-1993, according to which the population of the Cayman Islands expressed the sentiment that the existing relations with the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland should be maintained and that the current status of the Territory should not be altered,

Aware that the Territory has one of the highest per capita incomes in the region, a stable political climate and virtually no unemployment,

Noting the actions taken by the territorial Government to implement its localization programme to promote increased participation of the local population in the decision-making process in the Cayman Islands,

Noting with concern the vulnerability of the Territory to drug trafficking and related activities,

Noting the measures taken by the authorities to deal with those problems,

Noting also that the Territory has emerged as one of the world's leading offshore financial centres,

Also requests the administering Power, the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system to continue to provide the territorial Government with all required expertise to enable it to achieve its socio-economic aims;

Calls upon the administering Power and the territorial Government to continue to cooperate to counter problems related to money laundering, smuggling of funds and other related crimes, as well as drug trafficking;

Requests the administering Power, in consultation with the territorial Government, to continue to facilitate the expansion of the current programme of securing employment for the local population, in particular at the decision-making level;

VI. Guam

Recalling that, in a referendum held in 1987, the people of Guam endorsed a draft Guam Commonwealth Act that would establish a new framework for relations between the Territory and the administering Power, providing for internal self-government for Guam and recognition of the right of the people of Guam to self-determination for the Territory,

Recalling also the requests by the elected representatives and non-governmental organizations of the Territory that Guam not be removed from the list of the Non-Self-Governing Territories with which the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples is concerned, pending the expression of the will of the Chamorro people and taking into account their legitimate rights and interests,

Aware of the continued negotiations between the administering Power and the territorial Government on the draft Guam Commonwealth Act and on the future status of the Territory, with particular emphasis on the question of the evolution of the relationship between the United States of America and Guam,

Cognizant that the administering Power continues to implement its programme of transferring surplus federal land to the Government of Guam,

Noting that the people of the Territory have called for reform in the programme of the administering Power with respect to the thorough, unconditional and expeditious transfer of land property to the people of Guam,

Conscious that immigration into Guam has resulted in the indigenous Chamorros becoming a minority in their homeland,

Aware of the potential for diversifying and developing the economy of Guam through commercial fishing and agriculture and other viable activities,

Taking note of the proposed closing and realigning of four United States Navy installations on Guam and the request for the establishment of a transition period to develop some of the closed facilities as commercial enterprises,

Recalling the dispatch in 1979 of a United Nations visiting mission to the Territory, and taking note of the recommendation of the 1996 Pacific regional seminar for sending a visiting mission to Guam,³

³See A/AC.109/2058, para. 33 (20).

Calls upon the administering Power to take into consideration the expressed will of the Chamorro people as endorsed by the people of Guam, encourages the administering Power and the territorial Government of Guam to continue the negotiations on this matter, and requests the administering Power to inform the Secretary-General of progress to this end;

Requests the administering Power to continue to assist the elected territorial Government in achieving its political, economic and social goals;

Also requests the administering Power, in cooperation with the territorial Government, to continue the orderly transfer of land to the people of the Territory and to take the necessary steps to safeguard their property rights;

Further requests the administering Power to continue to recognize and respect the political rights and the cultural and ethnic identity of the people of Guam, including the Chamorro people, and to take all necessary measures to respond to the concerns of the territorial Government with regard to the immigration issue;

Requests the administering Power to cooperate in establishing programmes specifically intended to promote the sustainable development of economic activities and enterprises by the people of Guam, including the Chamorro people;

Also requests the administering Power to continue to support appropriate measures by the territorial Government aimed at promoting growth in commercial fishing and agriculture and other viable activities;

VII. Montserrat

Noting the non-receipt of up-to-date information on Montserrat from the administering Power and that the last visiting mission took place in 1982,

Noting also that information considered by the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples was made available from published sources,

Noting the functioning of a democratic process in Montserrat,

Taking note of the reported statement of the Chief Minister that his preference was for independence within a political union with the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States and that self-reliance was more of a priority than independence,

Noting with concern the dire consequences of a volcanic eruption, which led to the evacuation of a third of the Territory's population to safe areas of the island,

Noting the efforts of the administering Power and the Government of the Territory to meet the emergency situation caused by the volcanic eruption, including the implementation of a wide range of contingency measures for both the private and the public sectors in Montserrat,

Noting also the coordinated response measures taken by the United Nations Development Programme and the assistance of the United Nations disaster management team,

Noting with deep concern that a substantial number of the inhabitants of the Territory continue to live in shelters because of volcanic activity,

Calls upon the administering Power, the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system, as well as regional and other organizations, to provide urgent emergency assistance to the Territory in alleviating the consequences of the volcanic eruption;

VIII. Pitcairn

Taking into account the unique nature of Pitcairn in terms of population and area,

Expressing its satisfaction with the continued economic and social advancement of the Territory, as well as with the improvement of its communications with the outside world and its management plan to address conservation issues,

Also requests the administering Power to continue its assistance for the improvement of the economic, social, educational and other conditions of the population of the Territory;

IX. St. Helena

Taking into account the unique character of St. Helena, its population and its natural resources,

Aware of the request by the Legislative Council of St. Helena that the administering Power conduct a constitutional review in the Territory,

Noting the statement of 1995 by the administering Power that the Governor of the island would be ready to enter into debate on a constitutional review of St. Helena,

Aware of the establishment by the Government of the Territory of the Development Agency in 1995 to encourage private sector commercial development on the island,

Also aware of the efforts of the administering Power and the territorial authorities to improve the socio-economic conditions of the population of St. Helena, in particular in the sphere of food production,

Notes that the administering Power has noted various statements made by members of the Legislative Council of St. Helena about the Constitution and is prepared to discuss these further with the people of St. Helena, and also notes that the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association recently sent a delegation to study the Constitution and its application with the Legislative Council;

Requests the administering Power and relevant regional and international organizations to continue to support the efforts of the territorial Government to address the socio-economic development of the Territory;

X. Turks and Caicos Islands

Noting the recent petition by the political leaders of the Turks and Caicos Islands addressed to the administering Power to recall the Governor and the decision by the administering Power to reject that petition,

Noting with interest the statement made and the information on the political and economic situation in the Turks and Caicos Islands provided by the Deputy Chief Minister of the Territory to the Pacific regional seminar held at Port Moresby from 12 to 14 June 1996,⁴

⁴Ibid., para. 21.

Taking note of the request by the Deputy Chief Minister of the Territory addressed to the Special Committee to visit the Territory and ascertain the wishes of the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands with regard to preparing themselves for self-government,3

Noting the establishment in November 1995 of the Action Committee for Political Independence, formed by prominent political figures from different parties, and its stated goal of educating the population in the disadvantages of the present colonial status and the benefits of independence,

Noting also the efforts by the Government of the Territory to strengthen financial management in the public sector, including efforts to increase revenue,

Noting with concern the vulnerability of the Territory to drug trafficking and related activities, as well as its problems caused by illegal immigration,

Noting the need for continued cooperation between the administering Power and the territorial Government in countering drug trafficking and money laundering,

Invites the administering Power to take fully into account the wishes and interests of the Government and the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands in the governance of the Territory;

Calls upon the administering Power and the relevant regional and international organizations to continue to provide assistance for the improvement of the economic, social, educational and other conditions of the population of the Territory;

XI. United States Virgin Islands

Noting that general elections were held in November 1994 in the United States Virgin Islands,

Noting also that 27.5 per cent of the electorate participated in the referendum on the political status of the Territory held on 11 October 1993, and that 80.4 per cent of those who voted supported the existing territorial status arrangements with the United States of America, and that the referendum left the status issue undecided,

Noting further the continuing interest of the territorial Government in seeking associate membership in the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States and observer status in the Caribbean Community,

Noting the necessity of further diversifying the Territory's economy,

Noting also that the question of Water Island is still under discussion between the Government of the Territory and the administering Power,

Noting further the efforts of the Government of the Territory to promote the Territory as an offshore financial services centre,

Noting with satisfaction that the Territory joined the International Drug Enforcement Conference as a full member in 1995, which would strengthen its capability to combat illegal drug trafficking,

Recalling the dispatch in 1977 of a United Nations visiting mission to the Territory,

Also requests the administering Power to continue to assist the territorial Government in achieving its political, economic and social goals;

Further requests the administering Power to facilitate the participation of the Territory, as appropriate, in various organizations, in particular the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States and the Caribbean Community;

Welcomes the negotiations between the administering Power and the territorial Government on the question of Water Island.

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

What other versions does this mandate have?

What subjects does this mandate have?

What’s in this document?

A

B

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