The UN General Assembly in New York on Thursday observed the first-ever  International Day against Colonialism in All its Forms and Manifestations.

The observance supports the implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, adopted 65 years ago.

Since then, the UN has helped more than 60 territories, home to over 80 million people , pursue self-determination and emerge as independent states.

However, “that legacy is unfinished”, the assistant secretary-general for Peacebuilding Support, Elizabeth Spehar, said.

Today, 17 non-governing territories remain and “vestiges of colonialism persist – not only on maps, but in the architecture of global power”.

Institutions such as the Security Council and the international financial system “bear the imprint of a world that no longer exists, a world of empires, not of equals”, she said.

Ms Spehar, who spoke on behalf of the UN secretary-general, recalled that the UN was created 80 years ago to save succeeding generations from war, uphold human rights, and advance progress in larger freedom.

“Let us renew that promise – not only by ending colonialism in its traditional forms, but by dismantling its remnants wherever they endure,” said Ms Spehar.

In a related development, Venezuelans living in other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean contribute more than $10.6 billion each year to local economies, mostly through spending on food, education, and healthcare.

The finding comes in a report by the International Organisation for Migration published on Thursday, International Migrants Day. The analysis is based on research conducted since 2021 in Colombia, Panama, Ecuador, Chile, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Peru and Aruba.

Other findings show that Venezuelans make valuable tax contributions, representing approximately just over one per cent of total tax revenue in these countries. In Colombia alone, this has exceeded $529 million in a single year.

Globally, there are more than 300 million migrants, according to UN estimates.

While the International Day provides an opportunity to spotlight their invaluable contributions, it also highlights the increasingly complex environment in which migration occurs.

UN secretary-general António Guterres noted that conflicts, climate-related disasters, and economic pressures continue to drive millions to seek safety or opportunity outside their homelands.

“This past year saw record levels of internal displacement, rising humanitarian needs across ongoing and new crises, and, tragically, the highest-ever death toll of migrants in transit,” he said in his message to mark the Day. “By supporting regular pathways for migration, we can enable opportunities for migrants, better protect their rights, and contribute to greater prosperity in the countries migrants come from and those that host them.”

(NAN)