Uganda is among a number of African countries attending an international conference on decolonization taking place in Azerbaijan.
The conference is taking place at the Four Seasons Hotel and is being hosted by the Baku Initiative Group. It will be hosted under the theme, Decolonization: Empowerment and Development of Women.
According to a press release, more than 40 representatives from 18 countries including France, USA, Turkey, Russia, Algeria, Senegal, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Comoros, India, and French colonies like New Caledonia, Martinique, French Polynesia, Guadeloupe, French Guiana and Corsica are part of the conference.
“The main objective of the event is to draw attention to the international community on the plight of women in territories still under colonial rule due to ongoing colonialism policies in the 21st century,” the press release stated.
“It also aims to expose the inhumane treatment and violation of fundamental rights which women face in colonies and to promote the strengthening of participation of women in the eradication of colonialism.”
According to the release, “countries like France continue to perpetuate colonialism, a remnant of the slavery era, by occupying 13 overseas territories”.
“Despite certain resolutions of international organizations and the long-standing demands of peoples fighting for their freedom and independence, official Paris persists in its neocolonialism policy,” the release adds.
As the conference takes place, France has been thrown under the spotlight over its ongoing colonial policy, which not only covers the overseas territories but also extends to Africa, South East Asia, Pacific Ocean, Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions, and Latin America.
“France continues to exploit these regions’ resources, manipulate their political processes, and maintain military bases, thus hindering their true independence and development,” the release revealed.
“The French armed forces have perpetrated the numerous crimes against humanity and have subjected hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians to genocide due to their ethnic and religious affiliation. Millions of people were victims of the French slave policy.”
Representatives of Overseas Territories, who have been denied the opportunity to voice their demands for freedom and independence by France for a long time, will have an appropriate platform at the instance of Baku Initiative Group to assert their basic rights and make their voices heard to the global community.
This is the fourth international conference against colonialism organized by the Baku Initiative Group. Previous events have been held in Baku on July 6, 2023, at the UN Headquarters in New York on September 22, and again in Baku on October 20.
As the chair of the Non-Aligned Movement, the Republic of Azerbaijan actively supports peoples fighting against colonialism which is of particular relevance to humanity where it is striving for freedom from the past.
