Guadeloupe’s independence debate takes centre stage at Baku conference PHOTO

Baku is hosting an international conference titled “Towards the Decolonisation of Guadeloupe: Challenges and Prospects”, focusing on the Caribbean island currently under French colonial rule.

The event is co-organised 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), Caliber.Az reports via domestic media.

The conference brings together leaders of political parties advocating for Guadeloupe’s independence, heads of social movements, representatives of NGOs, and members of the academic community. Speakers include secretaries of the International Front for Decolonisation, which was established in Baku in July 2024 with the support of the Baku Initiative Group.

Key topics under discussion include the preservation of Guadeloupe’s status as an overseas department of France, which limits the islanders’ right to freely determine their political future. Special attention is being given to colonial-era crimes, historical injustices, the destruction of the indigenous Kalinago people, exploitation of labour, inequality, and the administrative and economic systems that sustain the island’s dependency.

Participants are also examining how the departmental status perpetuates colonial policies that have led to high unemployment, youth emigration, social inequality, economic dependence, violence, and environmental degradation, including the devastating effects of the toxic pesticide chlordecone.

The conference will also address how to bring Guadeloupe's right to self-determination onto the agendas of international organisations, explore UN legal mechanisms for decolonisation, and highlight France’s non-compliance with relevant UN resolutions and the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples.

In a cultural highlight, Azerbaijan will host for the first time a concert titled “Rhythms and Dances of Guadeloupe and Azerbaijan” at 7:00 p.m. on June 25 at the Green Theatre in Baku. The event, organised by the Baku Initiative Group, will feature performances by artists from both countries and showcase the musical harmony between Guadeloupe and Azerbaijan.

The evening will include a special performance by the renowned Guadeloupean group Lakou Veranda, known for their captivating and unique musical rhythms.

By Tamilla Hasanova