Guadeloupe’s anti-colonial leader: Azerbaijan empowers our fight for freedom

The critical role of Azerbaijan and the Baku Initiative Group (BIG) in advancing global decolonisation was praised by José Marten Jean-Pierre, Secretary of the International Front for the Decolonisation of Guadeloupe, who emphasised their importance for nations striving to free themselves from colonial legacies.

Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the international conference “Towards the Decolonisation of Guadeloupe: Challenges and Prospects”, currently being held in Baku, Jean-Pierre said Azerbaijan and BIG had become “key partners” in the effort to end colonial domination by France, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

“To achieve our main goal — exiting the French colonial world — we are working with all freedom-loving nations that can support us in this effort. Azerbaijan and the Baku Initiative Group have become our key partners along this path,” he stated.

Jean-Pierre underscored the long-standing efforts by France to conceal the reality of its colonial rule over Guadeloupe, particularly by suppressing international awareness of the conditions in its overseas territories.

“Many of the events we have lived through remained hidden from the global community. This is part of the colonial strategy — to keep everything under control and prevent international attention,” he said, drawing attention to systemic efforts to maintain the status quo.

The international conference in Baku brings these issues into the spotlight, focusing on the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, which remains under French colonial administration. Organised jointly by the Baku Initiative Group, the People's Union for the Liberation of Guadeloupe (UPLG), the International Movement for Reparations – Guadeloupe (MIR-Guadeloupe), the International Committee of Black Peoples (CIPN), and the Movement for the Creation of a Guadeloupean Nation (FKNG), the event has convened political leaders, civil society activists, academics, and NGO representatives.

Among the speakers are secretaries of the International Front for Decolonisation — a body founded in Baku in July 2024 with support from BIG — who are addressing a wide array of issues. These include the implications of Guadeloupe’s continued status as a French overseas department, which restricts the island’s right to self-determination, as well as broader themes of colonial injustice.

Participants are also examining the historical crimes of colonialism, including the destruction of the indigenous Kalinago people, labour exploitation, structural inequality, and the enduring administrative and economic frameworks that maintain Guadeloupe’s dependency. The conference serves as a platform to amplify calls for sovereignty, historical justice, and the dismantling of lingering colonial structures in the 21st century.

By Tamilla Hasanova