Individual Territories [Questions of American Samoa, Anguilla, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Guam, Montserrat, Pitcairn, Saint Helena, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the United States Virgin Islands]

A/RES/67/132[B]View PDF

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

A Resolution of the General Assembly, under agenda item 60 Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, published in 2013.

What other versions does this mandate have?

6 versions · 2011–2015

This is an older version — the most recent is A/RES/70/102[B]

Year	Symbol	Title	Word length	Text similarity
2015	A/RES/70/102[B]	Individual territories [questions of American Samoa, Anguilla, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Guam, Montserrat, Pitcairn, Saint Helena, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the United States Virgin Islands]	—	—
2014	A/RES/69/105[B]	Individual territories [questions of American Samoa, Anguilla, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Guam, Montserrat, Pitcairn, Saint Helena, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the United States Virgin Islands]	—	—
2013	A/RES/68/95[B]	Individual territories [questions of American Samoa, Anguilla, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Guam, Montserrat, Pitcairn, Saint Helena, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the United States Virgin Islands]	—	—
2013	A/RES/67/132[B]	Individual territories [questions of American Samoa, Anguilla, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Guam, Montserrat, Pitcairn, Saint Helena, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the United States Virgin Islands]	—	—
2012	A/RES/66/89[B]	Individual territories [questions of American Samoa, Anguilla, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Guam, Montserrat, Pitcairn, Saint Helena, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the United States Virgin Islands]	—	—

What subjects does this mandate have?

14 subjects

American Samoa Question Anguilla Question Bermuda Question British Virgin Islands Question Cayman Islands Question Decolonization Guam Question Montserrat Question Non-Self-Governing Territories Pitcairn Question Saint Helena Question Self-Determination of Peoples Turks and Caicos Islands Question United States Virgin Islands Question

What’s in this document?

53 operative paragraphs

A/RES/67/132 [B]

B

I.American Samoa

Welcomes the work of the territorial Government with respect to moving forward on political status, local autonomy and self-governance issues with a view to making political and economic progress;

Expresses once again its appreciation for the invitation extended in 2011 by the Governor of American Samoa to the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples to send a visiting mission to the Territory, calls upon the administering Power to facilitate such a mission if the territorial Government so desires, and requests the Chair of the Special Committee to take all the steps necessary to that end;

Requests the administering Power to assist the Territory by facilitating its work concerning a public awareness programme, consistent with Article 73 b of the Charter of the United Nations, and in that regard calls upon the relevant United Nations organizations to provide assistance to the Territory, if requested;

Calls upon the administering Power to assist the territorial Government in the diversification and sustainability of the economy of the Territory and to address employment and cost-of-living issues;

II.Anguilla

Taking note of the working paper prepared by the Secretariat on Anguilla¹⁰ and other relevant information,

¹⁰A/AC.109/2012/2.

Recalling the holding of the 2003 Caribbean regional seminar in Anguilla, hosted by the territorial Government and made possible by the administering Power, the first time that the seminar had been held in a Non-Self-Governing Territory,

Recalling also the statement made by the representative of Anguilla at the Pacific regional seminar held in Quito from 30 May to 1 June 2012 that the people of the Territory are concerned that they are being denied the full range of decolonization options while the territorial Government seeks a comprehensive overhaul of the current Constitution, in particular a serious reduction in the powers of the Governor under a drafting exercise that began in 2011,

Aware of the follow-up meeting, held after the 2012 Pacific regional seminar, between the Chair of the Special Committee and the Chief Minister of Anguilla, who reiterated the urgent need for a visiting mission,

Noting the internal constitutional review process resumed by the territorial Government in 2006, the work of the Constitutional and Electoral Reform Commission, which prepared its report in August 2006, the holding of public and other consultative meetings in 2007 on proposed constitutional amendments to be presented to the administering Power and the decisions taken in 2008 and 2011 to set up a drafting team to prepare a new constitution and present it for public consultation in the Territory,

Aware of certain difficulties and tensions in the relations between the territorial Government and the administering Power regarding budgetary and economic matters,

Noting the participation of the Territory as a member in the Caribbean Overseas Countries and Territories Council and an associate member in the Caribbean Community, the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States and the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean,

Aware of the willingness expressed by the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States and the Caribbean Community to assist in the resolution of difficulties being experienced by the territorial Government in respect of its relations with the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland,

Welcomes the preparations made for a new constitution, and urges that constitutional discussions with the administering Power, including public consultations, be concluded as soon as possible;

Requests the administering Power to assist the Territory in its current efforts with regard to advancing the internal constitutional review exercise, if requested;

Notes the expression of grave concern by the Caribbean Community at the tension between the administering Power and the territorial Government and the deterioration in the Territory’s governance arrangements;

Stresses the importance of the previously expressed desire of the territorial Government for a visiting mission by the Special Committee, calls upon the administering Power to facilitate such a mission, if the territorial Government so desires, and requests the Chair of the Special Committee to take all the necessary steps to that end;

Requests the administering Power to assist the Territory by facilitating its work concerning public consultative outreach efforts consistent with Article 73 b of the Charter, and in that regard calls upon the relevant United Nations organizations to provide assistance to the Territory, if requested;

Calls upon the administering Power to assist the territorial Government in strengthening its commitments in the economic domain, including budgetary matters, with regional support as needed and appropriate;

Welcomes the active participation of the Territory in the work of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean;

III.Bermuda

Taking note of the working paper prepared by the Secretariat on Bermuda¹¹ and other relevant information,

¹¹A/AC.109/2012/4.

Recalling the statement made by the representative of Bermuda at the Pacific regional seminar held in Quito from 30 May to 1 June 2012 that the circumstances of the Territory with respect to the issue of independence are unique and that its dream of independence persists, albeit temporarily deferred, as the pursuit of independence is not a current top priority for the people of Bermuda,

Conscious of the different viewpoints of the political parties on the future status of the Territory, and noting the results of successive surveys by local media, according to which a majority of respondents did not wish to sever ties with the United Kingdom, the administering Power, and a minority was in favour of independence,

Recalling the dispatch of the United Nations special mission to Bermuda in 2005, at the request of the territorial Government and with the concurrence of the administering Power, which provided information to the people of the Territory on the role of the United Nations in the process of self-determination, on the legitimate political status options as clearly defined in General Assembly resolution 1541 (XV) of 15 December 1960 and on the experiences of other small States that have achieved a full measure of self-government,

Stresses the importance of the 2005 report of the Bermuda Independence Commission, which provides a thorough examination of the facts surrounding independence, and continues to regret that the plans for public meetings and the presentation of a Green Paper to the House of Assembly followed by a White Paper outlining the policy proposals for an independent Bermuda have so far not materialized;

Requests the administering Power to assist the Territory by facilitating its work concerning public educational outreach efforts, consistent with Article 73 b of the Charter, and in that regard calls upon the relevant United Nations organizations to provide assistance to the Territory, if requested;

IV.British Virgin Islands

Taking note of the working paper prepared by the Secretariat on the British Virgin Islands¹² and other relevant information,

¹²A/AC.109/2012/6.

Noting the statement made by the representative of the British Virgin Islands at the Pacific regional seminar held in Quito from 30 May to 1 June 2012 that the interim position of the Territory was to maintain its current relationship with the administering Power, built on mutual respect and a mature partnership, as the Territory continues to grow and generations of British Virgin Islanders attain higher levels of education,

Recalling the view expressed in the statement made by the representative of the British Virgin Islands at the 2011 Caribbean regional seminar that there was scope for further constitutional review with respect to the practical and effective implementation of the provisions of the 2007 Constitution in the Territory,

Aware of the negative impact of the global economic slowdown on the growth of the financial and tourism services sectors of the Territory, which was less severe in 2011,

Cognizant of the potential usefulness of regional ties for the development of a small island Territory and of the Territory’s membership in the Caribbean Overseas Countries and Territories Council,

Recalls the Constitution of the British Virgin Islands, which took effect in 2007, and stresses the importance of continued discussions on constitutional matters, to accord greater responsibility to the territorial Government for the effective implementation of the Constitution and increased levels of education relating to constitutional matters;

Requests the administering Power to assist the Territory by facilitating its work concerning public outreach efforts, consistent with Article 73 b of the Charter, and in that regard calls upon the relevant United Nations organizations to provide assistance to the Territory, if requested;

Welcomes the efforts made by the Territory to strengthen its financial services and tourism sectors;

Also welcomes the active participation of the Territory in the work of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean;

Further welcomes the holding, for the first time at the level of heads of territorial Government, on 12 May 2011, of the meeting of the Inter-Virgin Islands Council between the Territory and the United States Virgin Islands;

V.Cayman Islands

Taking note of the working paper prepared by the Secretariat on the Cayman Islands¹³ and other relevant information,

¹³A/AC.109/2012/7.

Recalling the statement made by the representative of the territorial Government at the Pacific regional seminar held in Nouméa from 18 to 20 May 2010,

Aware of the work, in accordance with the 2009 Constitution, of the new Constitutional Commission, which serves as an advisory body on constitutional matters,

Conscious of the work of the Cayman Islands Review Committee established by the Premier in 2011 to comment on the relationship between the United Kingdom and the Cayman Islands,

Acknowledging that, in spite of the global economic downturn and unemployment issues, the financial services and tourism industries of the Territory reportedly rebounded in 2011 and the openness of the Government to partnership would facilitate economic activity in the private sector,

Cognizant of the potential usefulness of regional ties for the development of a small island Territory and of the Territory’s membership in the Caribbean Overseas Countries and Territories Council,

Welcomes the desire, reflected in the Cayman Islands Review Committee report of 2011, to enhance the relationship between the Territory and the administering Power in mutually beneficial ways, with a view to creating more local autonomy, and stresses the importance of the work of the Constitutional Commission, including on human rights education;

Requests the administering Power to assist the Territory by facilitating its work concerning public awareness outreach efforts, consistent with Article 73 b of the Charter, and in that regard calls upon the relevant United Nations organizations to provide assistance to the Territory, if requested;

Welcomes the active participation of the Territory in the work of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean;

Also welcomes the efforts made by the territorial Government to implement financial sector management policies, medical and sports tourism initiatives and unemployment alleviation programmes in various economic sectors, including agriculture and the private sector;

VI.Guam

Taking note of the working paper prepared by the Secretariat on Guam¹⁴ and other relevant information,

¹⁴A/AC.109/2012/13.

Noting the statement made by the representative of the Governor of Guam at the Pacific regional seminar held in Quito from 30 May to 1 June 2012 that the colonial status of the Territory has resulted in a situation where the survival of the Chamorro people as a people in their native land is threatened and that the work of the Guam Commission on Decolonization for the Implementation and Exercise of Chamorro Self-Determination in 2011 was centred on setting a date for the plebiscite on Chamorro self-determination and on identifying the resources to fund an education campaign to inform the community of the political status issue,

Cognizant of the efforts made by the Guam Commission on Decolonization to populate the decolonization registry, as required by public law, and to enhance the ability to expediently register those who have not yet been registered,

Aware that, under United States law, the relations between the territorial Government and the federal Government in all matters that are not the programme responsibility of another federal department or agency are under the general administrative supervision of the Secretary of the Interior,¹⁵

¹⁵United States Congress, Organic Act of Guam, 1950, as amended.

Recalling that, in a referendum held in 1987, the registered and eligible voters of Guam endorsed a draft Guam Commonwealth Act that would establish a new framework for relations between the Territory and the administering Power, providing for a greater measure of internal self-government for Guam and recognition of the right of the Chamorro people of Guam to self-determination for the Territory,

Recalling also the requests by the elected representatives and non-governmental organizations of the Territory, including at the 2012 Pacific regional seminar, that Guam not be removed from the list of the Non-Self-Governing Territories with which the Special Committee is concerned, pending the self-determination of the Chamorro people and taking into account their legitimate rights and interests,

Aware that negotiations between the administering Power and the territorial Government on the draft Guam Commonwealth Act ended in 1997 and that Guam has subsequently established a non-binding plebiscite process for a self-determination vote by the eligible Chamorro voters,

Cognizant of the importance of the administering Power continuing to implement its programme of transferring surplus federal land to the Government of Guam,

Noting that the people of the Territory have called for reform in the programme of the administering Power with respect to the thorough, unconditional and expeditious transfer of land property to the people of Guam,

Aware of the deep concerns expressed by civil society and others, including at meetings of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) of the General Assembly and at the regional seminars, regarding the potential social, cultural, economic and environmental impacts of the planned transfer of additional military personnel of the administering Power to the Territory,

Conscious that immigration into Guam has resulted in the indigenous Chamorros becoming a minority in their homeland,

Welcomes the convening of the Guam Commission on Decolonization for the Implementation and Exercise of Chamorro Self-Determination in 2011 and its work on a self-determination vote;

Calls once again upon the administering Power to take into consideration the expressed will of the Chamorro people as supported by Guam voters in the referendum of 1987 and as subsequently provided for in Guam law regarding Chamorro self-determination efforts, encourages the administering Power and the territorial Government to enter into negotiations on the matter, and stresses the need for continued close monitoring of the overall situation in the Territory;

Requests the administering Power, in cooperation with the territorial Government, to continue to transfer land to the original landowners of the Territory, to continue to recognize and to respect the political rights and the cultural and ethnic identity of the Chamorro people of Guam and to take all measures necessary to address the concerns of the territorial Government with regard to the question of immigration;

Also requests the administering Power to assist the Territory by facilitating public outreach efforts, including through the funding of the public education campaign, consistent with Article 73 b of the Charter, and in that regard calls upon the relevant United Nations organizations to provide assistance to the Territory, if requested, and welcomes the recent outreach work by the territorial Government, including the convening in 2011 of a Chamorro forum;

Further requests the administering Power to cooperate in establishing programmes for the sustainable development of the economic activities and enterprises of the Territory, noting the special role of the Chamorro people in the development of Guam;

VII.Montserrat

Taking note of the working paper prepared by the Secretariat on Montserrat¹⁶ and other relevant information,

¹⁶A/AC.109/2012/10.

Recalling the statement made by the Premier of Montserrat at the Pacific regional seminar held in Quito from 30 May to 1 June 2012 that the current relationship with the administering Power was one made by free choice and that the Territory should be removed from the list of the Non-Self-Governing Territories,

Recalling also the statements made by the members of the Special Committee present at the 2012 Pacific regional seminar and the clarification made by the Secretariat regarding United Nations procedures in that regard,

Taking note of the communication addressed to the Chair of the Special Committee by the opposition leader of Montserrat expressing concern that the Premier had no prior discussion with the legislature of Montserrat over the content of his statement before requesting the Special Committee to remove the Territory from the list of the Non-Self-Governing Territories,

Noting the approval of a new Constitution in 2010 and the work of the territorial Government to update the relevant parts of the legislation of the Territory so that the Constitution could enter into force in September 2011,

Aware that Montserrat continues to receive budgetary aid from the administering Power for the operation of the territorial Government,

Recalling the statements made by participants at the 2012 Pacific regional seminar encouraging the administering Power to commit sufficient resources to meet the special needs of the Territory,

Noting with concern the continuing consequences of the 1995 volcanic eruption, which led to the evacuation of three quarters of the population of the Territory to safe areas of the island and to areas outside the Territory, which continues to have enduring consequences for the economy of the island,

Acknowledging the continuing assistance provided to the Territory by States members of the Caribbean Community, in particular Antigua and Barbuda, which has offered safe refuge and access to educational and health facilities, as well as employment for thousands who have left the Territory,

Noting the continuing efforts of the administering Power and the territorial Government to deal with the consequences of the volcanic eruption,

Cognizant of the potential usefulness of regional ties for the development of a small island Territory and of the Territory’s membership in the Caribbean Overseas Countries and Territories Council,

Welcomes the approval of a new Constitution for the Territory, which entered into force in 2011, and the work of the territorial Government with respect to moving forward to consolidate the gains provided for in the Constitution;

Welcomes the steps towards accession of the Territory, in 2012, to the economic union treaty of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States and its active participation in the work of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean;

Calls upon the administering Power, the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system, as well as regional and other organizations, to continue to provide assistance to the Territory in alleviating the consequences of the volcanic eruption;

VIII.Pitcairn

Taking note of the working paper prepared by the Secretariat on Pitcairn¹⁷ and other relevant information,

¹⁷A/AC.109/2012/3.

Taking into account the unique character of Pitcairn in terms of population, area and access,

Aware that the administering Power and the territorial Government have implemented a new governance structure to strengthen administrative capacity in the Territory, based on consultations with the people of the Territory, and that Pitcairn continues to receive budgetary aid from the administering Power for the operation of the territorial Government,

Noting that the administering Power and the Pitcairn Government are currently working on a five-year strategic development plan for the island,

Welcomes all efforts by the administering Power and the territorial Government that would further devolve operational responsibilities to the Territory, with a view to gradually expanding self-government, including through training of local personnel;

Also requests the administering Power to continue its assistance for the improvement of the economic, social, educational and other conditions of the population of the Territory and to continue its discussions with the territorial Government on how best to support socioeconomic and environmental security in Pitcairn;

Welcomes the work carried out on the preparation of a five-year strategic development plan for the island;

IX.Saint Helena

Taking note of the working paper prepared by the Secretariat on Saint Helena¹⁸ and other relevant information,

¹⁸A/AC.109/2012/5.

Recalling the statement made by the representative of Saint Helena at the Caribbean regional seminar held in Frigate Bay, Saint Kitts and Nevis, from 12 to 14 May 2009,

Taking into account the unique character of Saint Helena in terms of its population, geography and natural resources,

Cognizant that Saint Helena continues to receive budgetary aid from the administering Power for the operation of the territorial Government,

Aware of the efforts of the administering Power and the territorial Government to improve the socioeconomic conditions of the population of Saint Helena, in particular in the areas of employment and transport and communications infrastructure,

Noting the efforts of the Territory to address the problem of unemployment on the island and the joint action of the administering Power and the territorial Government in dealing with it, including through the Labour Market Strategy 2012–2014 and the Sustainable Economic Development Plan 2012/13-2021/22,

Noting also the importance of improving the infrastructure and accessibility of Saint Helena and, in that regard, the approval of the administering Power, in 2011, of the building of an airport on the island of Saint Helena,

Stresses the importance of the Territory’s 2009 Constitution;

Requests the administering Power and relevant international organizations to continue to support the efforts of the territorial Government to address the Territory’s socioeconomic development challenges, including unemployment, and limited transport and communications infrastructure;

Calls upon the administering Power to take into account the unique geographical character of Saint Helena while resolving any emerging issues related to the construction of the airport;

X.Turks and Caicos Islands

Taking note of the working paper prepared by the Secretariat on the Turks and Caicos Islands¹⁹ and other relevant information,

¹⁹A/AC.109/2012/9.

Recalling the statement made by the representative of the Turks and Caicos Islands at the Caribbean regional seminar held in Frigate Bay, Saint Kitts and Nevis, from 12 to 14 May 2009,

Recalling also the dispatch of the United Nations special mission to the Turks and Caicos Islands in 2006 at the request of the territorial Government and with the concurrence of the administering Power,

Aware of the 2002 report of the Constitutional Modernization Review Body, and acknowledging the Constitution agreed between the administering Power and the territorial Government, which entered into force in 2006,

Noting the decision of the administering Power to suspend parts of the 2006 Constitution of the Turks and Caicos Islands, covering the constitutional right to trial by jury, the ministerial Government and the House of Assembly, following the recommendations of an independent Commission of Inquiry and the ruling of the administering Power’s Court of Appeal, and the subsequent presentation of a draft constitution for public consultation in 2011 and the introduction of a new constitution for the Territory,

Acknowledging the impact that the global economic slowdown and other relevant developments have had on tourism and related real estate development, the mainstays of the economy of the Territory,

Notes with grave concern the ongoing situation in the Turks and Caicos Islands, and notes the efforts of the administering Power to restore good governance, including through the introduction in 2011 of a new constitution and the holding of elections in November 2012, and sound financial management in the Territory;

Notes the positions and repeated calls of the Caribbean Community and the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries for the restoration of a democratically elected territorial Government as a matter of urgency;

Also notes the extensive public consultations undertaken by the Constitutional and Electoral Reform Adviser and the continuing debate on constitutional and electoral reform within the Territory, and stresses the importance of participation by all groups and interested parties in the consultation process;

Stresses the importance of having in place in the Territory a constitution that reflects the aspirations and wishes of the people of the Territory, based on the mechanisms for popular consultation;

Welcomes the active participation of the Territory in the work of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean;

Also welcomes the continuing efforts made by the territorial Government addressing the need for attention to be paid to the enhancement of socioeconomic development across the Territory;

XI.United States Virgin Islands

Taking note of the working paper prepared by the Secretariat on the United States Virgin Islands²⁰ and other relevant information,

²⁰A/AC.109/2012/8.

Aware that under United States law the relations between the territorial Government and the federal Government in all matters not the programme responsibility of another federal department or agency are under the general administrative supervision of the Secretary of the Interior,²¹

²¹United States Congress, Revised Organic Act, 1954.

Aware also of the fifth attempt of the Territory to review the existing Revised Organic Act, which organizes its internal governance arrangements, as well as its requests to the administering Power and the United Nations system for assistance to its public education programme,

Cognizant that a draft constitution was proposed in 2009 and subsequently forwarded to the administering Power, which in 2010 requested the Territory to consider its objections to the draft constitution,

Aware of the closing of the Hovensa plant in 2011 and the negative impact on manufacturing and the labour situation in the Territory,

Cognizant of the potential usefulness of regional ties for the development of a small island Territory,

Welcomes the proposal of a draft constitution emanating from the Territory in 2009, as a result of the work of the United States Virgin Islands Fifth Constitutional Convention, for review by the administering Power, and requests the administering Power to assist the territorial Government in achieving its political, economic and social goals, in particular the successful conclusion of the ongoing internal Constitutional Convention exercise;

Requests the administering Power to facilitate the process for approval of the proposed territorial constitution in the United States Congress and its implementation, once agreed upon in the Territory;

Also requests the administering Power to assist the Territory by facilitating its work concerning a public education programme, consistent with Article 73 b of the Charter, and in that regard calls upon the relevant United Nations organizations to provide assistance to the Territory, if requested;

Expresses its concern regarding the negative impact of the Hovensa plant closure;

Reiterates its call for the inclusion of the Territory in regional programmes of the United Nations Development Programme, consistent with the participation of other Non-Self-Governing Territories;

Welcomes the active participation of the Territory in the work of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean;

Also welcomes the holding, for the first time at the level of heads of territorial Government, on 12 May 2011, of the meeting of the Inter-Virgin Islands Council between the Territory and the British Virgin Islands.

Official Records of the General Assembly, Sixty-seventh Session, Supplement No. 23 and corrigendum (A/67/23 and Corr.1), chap. IX.

Resolution 1514 (XV).

A/56/61, annex.

See resolution 2200 A (XXI), annex.

A/AC.109/2012/2–11 and 13.

A/65/330 and Add.1.

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

What other versions does this mandate have?

What subjects does this mandate have?

What’s in this document?

B

I.American Samoa

II.Anguilla

III.Bermuda

IV.British Virgin Islands

V.Cayman Islands

VI.Guam

VII.Montserrat

VIII.Pitcairn

IX.Saint Helena

X.Turks and Caicos Islands

XI.United States Virgin Islands

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