The Baku Initiative Group (BIG) has issued a strong call for international efforts to combat ongoing forms of colonialism, stressing that colonial structures and ideologies persist in various political, economic, and institutional forms around the world.
Speaking at the international scientific conference “Imperial Structure: Ideologies of Colonialism and Reality” in Baku, BIG Executive Director Abbas Abbasov warned against viewing colonialism solely as a historical injustice.
“Colonialism remains a present-day challenge,” Abbasov stated. “We must not allow ourselves to believe that colonialism is a matter of the past alone.” He emphasized that modern colonial policies still operate through indirect mechanisms, infringing on sovereignty and undermining equality.
A Platform for Decolonial Advocacy
Founded in July 2023 during a ministerial meeting in Baku, the Baku Initiative Group has positioned itself as a platform for advancing decolonization advocacy through research, dialogue, and international cooperation. Over the past two years, BIG has organized approximately 30 international events, focusing on territories such as Guadeloupe, Mayotte, Réunion, French Guiana, Martinique, Corsica, and others that remain under colonial or quasi-colonial administration.
Abbasov criticized what he called institutionalized colonial legacies, arguing that they directly contradict the principles of the UN Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and several UN General Assembly resolutions on self-determination and decolonization.
Legal and Diplomatic Tools Needed
Calling for the use of international legal mechanisms, Abbasov urged nations and civil society actors to support public awareness campaigns and multilateral initiatives to expose and dismantle ongoing colonial systems.
“This conference seeks to foster a deeper understanding of how colonial ideologies were constructed, institutionalized, and justified,” Abbasov said, “and more importantly, how their legacies continue to shape contemporary global dynamics.”
The Baku Initiative Group’s appeal aligns with broader efforts by non-aligned states and post-colonial societies to address neocolonialism and advance global equity, particularly in Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific. It comes amid renewed global discussions on the status of overseas territories and the lasting socioeconomic impacts of empire.
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