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Researcher: Lobbying institute should be formed for countries under colonial rule

04 June 2025 13:54 (UTC +04:00)

Practical activities are being carried out both within the UN and within a number of non-governmental organizations to make the voices of peoples living under colonial conditions heard. President Ilham Aliyev's speech at COP29 is a clear example of this, Lawrence Gonshor, a researcher at the South Pacific University in Fiji told journalists, APA reports.

The researcher proposed the establishment of an international lobbying institute for more effective activity in this context: "I represent the Fiji Islands. There are quite a few colonial states in our neighborhood. For example, French Polynesia, New Caledonia and others. I believe that the important point is the formation of an international lobbying institute that will represent their interests at the international level in such countries. The population of these territories has been living in conditions deprived of their rights for a long time. It is necessary to establish a lobbying institute there in order to convey the voice of the countries currently living in colonial conditions to the world and to implement this more effectively. The second issue is the recognition of their exclusive governance and self-determination rights by other states. French Polynesia has vast potential and numerous mineral resources along its water borders. France does not allow them to use their natural resources independently. This also stems from the weak political position of those small states. For the colonisers, it is a priority to keep these states under their political and military control. Their gaining their freedom is a very complex political process."

Lawrence Gonshor spoke about the work done to raise the issue of colonialism at the global level. According to the researcher, the measures taken by Azerbaijan are practical proof of this activity: "I believe that it is necessary for the voices of countries in colonial conditions to be heard on all possible platforms and to create these opportunities for them. Other organizations, such as the Baku Initiative Group, should also constantly keep the rightful position of these countries in the spotlight. Practical activity is already being carried out in this direction both within the UN and within a number of non-governmental organizations. For example, President Ilham Aliyev's speech at COP29 is a vivid example of this. Other countries and international organizations should also follow this example. It is precisely these measures that support the formation of the international decolonization agenda."