UN Headquarters in New York, powerful voices from France’s overseas territories accused Paris of sustaining colonial control under new names, demanding sovereignty, reparations, and justice for people of African descent.
A forum for long-denied voices
The Fourth Session of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent opened with a clear mission: to dismantle the legacies of colonialism and advance the rights of Afro-descendant communities still subject to foreign power.
This year’s gathering also marked the start of the Second International Decade for People of African Descent — a turning point, many said, to move beyond symbolic recognition toward legal and political accountability.
Among the most striking interventions were those from Guadeloupe, Réunion, French Guiana, and St. Martin, where activists described what they called France and the Netherlands' continued colonial domination.
“Without us” – A voice from Guadeloupe
José Martin Jean-Pierre, Secretary of the International Decolonization Front, delivered a searing address. He condemned France’s 1946 law converting its Caribbean and Indian Ocean colonies into overseas departments — passed, he argued, “without consulting the peoples concerned.”
José Martin Jean-Pierre – Secretary, International Decolonization Front (Guadeloupe):
“We must not accept the empty-chair policy of colonial powers—particularly that of France... It is intolerable for anyone to shape their domestic laws without the consultation of the peoples concerned — while claiming they know what is best for us, while planning to act for us, but without us.”
Heritage, pain, and the fight for independence
Florent Ali Méril of Guadeloupe’s People’s Union for Liberation placed the island’s independence struggle within the broader historical arc of African enslavement and identity.
Florent Ali Méril – Deputy Secretary-General, People’s Union for the Liberation of Guadeloupe:
“Guadeloupe is an archipelago rich in heritage… But behind its beauty lies suffering… The struggle for Guadeloupe’s national liberation cannot be separated from the recognition of the injustices suffered by people of African descent.”
Azerbaijan’s role: Linking struggles, demanding justice
Abbas Abbasov, Executive Director of the Baku Initiative Group, delivered a global perspective. Founded in Azerbaijan, the NGO now plays a leading role in supporting decolonisation movements and presented a petition calling for:
The petition draws on UN resolutions, African Union positions, and European legal precedents.
Abbas Abbasov – Executive Director of Baku Initiative Group:
“The damage caused by colonialism and slavery lives on… These are not privileges. They are universal human rights, enshrined in international law.”
“Injustice without end”
Groups like Ka-Ubuntu from Réunion and One St. Martin Association described their situations as “injustice without end.” They argued that modern legal and economic structures continue to suppress Afro-descendant populations.
Public education in Guadeloupe was criticised as a “colonial instrument,” accused of erasing the historical memory of Black youth and shaping them to serve external interests.
A global call for real sovereignty
As the Second International Decade for People of African Descent begins, the demand has shifted.
From the Caribbean to the Indian Ocean, the call is no longer for recognition alone. It is for reparations, return, and real sovereignty.
The forum's message was simple, but thunderous: the past cannot be undone, but the present must be confronted.
French President Emmanuel Macron will meet Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Tuesday in a bid to ease tensions over Ukraine, U.S. ties, and EU trade strategies, amid growing disagreements between the two leaders.
More than 500 people were arrested and two fatalities reported following chaotic celebrations across France after Paris Saint-Germain's historic Champions League victory, according to the interior ministry.
French President Emmanuel Macron issued a strong warning Friday that France could toughen its stance on Israel, including the possible imposition of sanctions against Israeli settlers, if humanitarian aid to Gaza continues to be obstructed.
French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Singapore Thursday for the final stop of his Southeast Asia tour.
French Health Minister Catherine Vautrin announced Thursday that smoking will be banned in public areas where children are present, effective from July 1.
Japanese researchers have unveiled a new plastic that fully dissolves in seawater within hours, offering a promising solution to the escalating crisis of ocean pollution and microplastics.
Switzerland is aligning with the European Union's 17th sanctions package by adopting the listed measures in response to Russia's continued aggression against Ukraine. Measures came into force on June 3.
South Korea’s new President Lee Jae-myung vowed to rescue the nation from political chaos and economic turmoil, promising market reforms and renewed diplomacy after a historic electoral win.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced a shakeup of Ukraine's military on Tuesday, including the appointment to a new post of a commander who tendered his resignation over a deadly Russian attack.
China and Belarus reaffirmed their strategic partnership as Xi Jinping welcomed Belarusian President Lukashenko to Beijing for a high-level meeting.
On May 28, the inauguration ceremony of Lachin International Airport was held.
Taxi drivers across France are protesting government plans to cut payments for driving patients to medical appointments. These cuts are part of a broader effort by Prime Minister François Bayrou to save €40 billion in the 2026 budget and reduce the country’s large deficit.
Brazil’s economy is expected to have regained momentum in the first quarter of 2025, driven by a surge in household spending and private investment, according to a Reuters poll of economists conducted from May 21–26.
As peace talks progress, voices from Yerevan, Tbilisi, and Baku reveal hopes, concerns, and expectations for a future shaped by trade, trust, and generational change in the South Caucasus.
In a major blow to one of President Donald Trump’s key economic policies, a US federal court has blocked the administration’s sweeping global tariff regime, ruling that the White House overstepped its constitutional authority.
Iran’s Supreme Leader has firmly rejected a new U.S. proposal aimed at curbing its nuclear program, vowing to continue uranium enrichment as a matter of national interest.
The White House congratulated South Korea on a fair election but voiced concern over potential Chinese influence as liberal candidate Lee Jae-myung assumes the presidency.
Switzerland is aligning with the European Union's 17th sanctions package by adopting the listed measures in response to Russia's continued aggression against Ukraine. Measures came into force on June 3.
South Korea’s new President Lee Jae-myung vowed to rescue the nation from political chaos and economic turmoil, promising market reforms and renewed diplomacy after a historic electoral win.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced a shakeup of Ukraine's military on Tuesday, including the appointment to a new post of a commander who tendered his resignation over a deadly Russian attack.
Japanese researchers have unveiled a new plastic that fully dissolves in seawater within hours, offering a promising solution to the escalating crisis of ocean pollution and microplastics.
Switzerland is aligning with the European Union's 17th sanctions package by adopting the listed measures in response to Russia's continued aggression against Ukraine. Measures came into force on June 3.
South Korea’s new President Lee Jae-myung vowed to rescue the nation from political chaos and economic turmoil, promising market reforms and renewed diplomacy after a historic electoral win.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced a shakeup of Ukraine's military on Tuesday, including the appointment to a new post of a commander who tendered his resignation over a deadly Russian attack.
China and Belarus reaffirmed their strategic partnership as Xi Jinping welcomed Belarusian President Lukashenko to Beijing for a high-level meeting.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment