They range from Western Sahara in Africa to small island territories in the Caribbean and the Pacific.
A central issue for the UN
Opening the 2026 session of the Special Committee on Decolonization – known as C-24 – the Secretary-General, in remarks delivered by his Chief of Staff Courtenay Rattray, highlighted that decolonization has been a central objective of the Organization “since its earliest days.”
“This Organization was created as a place where nations could meet as equals, not as rulers and ruled.“, said.
However, Guterres warned that the legacy of colonialism continues to shape current realities.
“The legacy of colonialism has left deep scars through deeply rooted mechanisms of economic exploitation, as well as in the form of racism, inequality and persistent exclusion from decision-making bodies,” he said.
The C-24 was established by the General Assembly in 1961 to monitor progress toward granting independence to territories that have not yet achieved “a full measure of self-government,” as defined in Chapter XI of the United Nations Charter. Its mandate arises from the historic 1960 Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples.
Map of non-autonomous territories.
Intensifying climate threats
Many of the remaining territories are small islands facing increasingly intense climate threats.
Rising sea levels, coastal erosion and more frequent extreme weather events are damaging homes and infrastructure, undermining tourism and fishing, and putting pressure on already limited public resources.
“Most Territories are small islands,” he noted, urging the Special Committee to place “resilience and adaptation at the center of its discussions.”
Call for inclusive dialogue
The Secretary-General outlined three priorities to guide the remaining decolonization process.
First, he asked “inclusive dialogue between Non-Self-Governing Territories, Administering Powers, Member States and all interested parties”, highlighting that each case must be addressed individually and “in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, the 1960 Declaration and the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly”.
Secondly, he stressed “the central role of young people”, saying that “the vision and leadership of the next generation are vital to building a productive and inclusive future.”
Thirdly, he highlighted the urgency of climate actionparticularly for island territories that face existential risks.