UN secretary-general António Guterres has pushed for the complete decolonisation of Western Sahara and 16 other territories still under colonial rule.

Mr Guterres urged renewed commitment to completing the unfinished business of ending colonial rule, more than 60 years after the UN launched its formal decolonisation drive.

Opening the 2026 session of the Special Committee on Decolonisation, Mr Guterres stressed that decolonisation had been a core objective of the UN since its earliest days.

”This organisation was created as a place where nations can meet as equals, not as rulers and ruled,” the UN chief said.

He cautioned that the legacy of colonialism continued to shape present-day realities. According to him, the legacy of colonialism has left profound scars through deeply rooted mechanisms of economic exploitation, as well as in the form of racism, inequality and persistent exclusion from the decision-making bodies.

The C-24 was established by the General Assembly in 1961 to monitor progress towards granting independence to territories that have not yet attained “a full measure of self-government”, as defined under Chapter XI of the UN Charter.

Its mandate stems from the landmark 1960 Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples.

The UN boss outlined priorities to guide the remaining decolonisation process. He called for inclusive dialogue among non-self-governing territories, administering powers, member states, and all stakeholders.

Mr Guterres also stressed that each case must be addressed individually and in accordance with the UN Charter, the 1960 Declaration, and the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly.

Since 1945, more than 80 former colonies comprising some 750 million people have gained independence. However, Western Sahara and 16 non-self-governing territories, mostly small Island territories in the Caribbean and Pacific, remain on the UN list, home to nearly two million people.

Western Sahara is the last African colony yet to achieve independence and is often dubbed “Africa’s last colony”.

Spain previously colonised the territory as the Spanish Sahara until 1976, when it abruptly withdrew, plunging it into a dispute among Algeria, Morocco and Mauritania.

The territory had been disputed since Spain’s exit. The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, with a government-in-exile in Tindouf, Algeria, currently controls 30 per cent of the territory.

However, Morocco has controlled about 70 per cent of the territory and has reportedly announced plans to end the Western Sahara war after President Donald Trump brokered talks recently. 

(NAN)