UN report highlights Baku Initiative Group's efforts to decolonise small island nations

The report of the Baku Initiative Group (BIG) has been included in the United Nations Secretary-General’s 2025 report on the “Programme of Activities for the Implementation of the Second International Decade for People of African Descent.” 

The secretary-general’s report highlights BIG as the only non-governmental organisation among global civil society actors working on decolonisation and the independence of peoples living on small islands, Caliber.Az reports per local media.

In May 2025, BIG submitted its report on activities conducted under the Second International Decade for People of African Descent to the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

The Baku Initiative Group (BIG) is an Azerbaijan-based international non-governmental organisation (NGO) focused on promoting decolonisation, self-determination, and human rights for territories still under colonial or neocolonial rule. Established in July 2023, BIG positions itself as a global platform to amplify the voices of colonised peoples, particularly those in French, Dutch, and other overseas territories, while fostering international solidarity against neocolonial practices.

BIG's activities focus on awareness-raising, policy advocacy, and coalition-building, with a strong emphasis on French and Dutch overseas territories. By October 2025, it has organized over 16 international conferences, roundtables, and UN-side events, often hybrid to include remote participants from isolated regions. These efforts aim to relist delisted territories on the UN's non-self-governing list, comply with UN Resolution 1514 (1960) on decolonization, and expose neocolonial barriers like border controls and economic dependencies.

By Khagan Isayev