Organized by the People’s Union for the Liberation of Guadeloupe with the support of the Baku Initiative Group, the first Congress of Independence Movements from French-colonized territories, attended by leaders from more than 20 political parties and independence movements from Corsica, Melanesia, Polynesia, the Caribbean, and the Antilles islands, all of which are experiencing French colonialism, was held in Baku on July 17-18.
Following the two days of discussions, leaders of political parties and movements fighting for independence in the French colonies agreed on the establishment of a united front – the International Front for the Liberation of the last French colonies.
The authorized officials of the 17 French and Dutch colonies present at the Congress signed the final Declaration on the establishment of the International Liberation Front. The participants also approved the Statute of the International Liberation Front.
The Declaration emphasized Azerbaijan’s significant role in the decolonization process, as well as the support and commitment of the Baku Initiative Group to the struggle for the liberation of colonial territories, and expressed gratitude to Azerbaijan.
The document denounced the racist and repressive policies of French colonialism, and in this regard, and condemned the crimes committed by the French government in New Caledonia and other colonial territories.
The establishment of the International Liberation Front means the establishment of a united umbrella – centralized platform against French colonialism. The participants of the Congress agreed to coordinate their activities on the path to ensure more coherent organization in the struggle for independence.
The Front, whose membership will be open to the territories currently under colonial domination, aims to unite the efforts of the French colonies in the process of decolonization and to bring the issues of self-determination to the attention of the world community.