BIG’s international conference on decolonization opens at UN headquarters

An international conference titled “After Bougival Agreement: Recolonization or Decolonization?” opened on September 25 at the United Nations Headquarters, initiated by the Baku Initiative Group (BIG) and held on the margins of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly.

The event brings together leaders of independence movements from France’s overseas territories — including Kanaky (New Caledonia), Guadeloupe, Martinique, Réunion, Maho-Nui (French Polynesia), and French Guiana — as well as representatives from Dutch-administered territories such as Bonaire, Aruba, and Saint Martin. Also participating are international experts on decolonization and members of the International Decolonisation Front, founded in Baku, Caliber.Az reports per local media.

The conference aims to critically assess the Bougival Agreement, which France has framed as a path toward “stability and a shared future.” Participants will compare it to earlier agreements — notably the Matignon and Nouméa accords — that were originally intended to pave the way for New Caledonia's independence.

Representatives of the Kanak people are expected to present their reasons for rejecting the Bougival Agreement, while broader discussions will focus on the post-Bougival future of Kanaky and other territories. The conference will also examine France’s long-standing failure to meet its decolonization obligations under UN mandates.

Delegates will explore concrete steps toward achieving genuine decolonization and consider joint actions to support this process. A joint statement is expected to be issued at the conclusion of the event.

Following the conference, representatives from the participating territories plan to hold a peaceful protest outside the UN Headquarters.

By Sabina Mammadli