U.S defends its policy for promoting self-determination for Am Samoa, Guam, and U.S. Virgin Islands

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — “The United States will continue to support American Samoa, Guam, and the U.S Virgin Islands in their collective and individual endeavors to improve the quality of life of their peoples,” declared Jeffrey DeLaurentis, the Senior Adviser for Special Political Affairs of the United States Mission to the United Nations.

“The people of American Samoa, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands are an integral part of American society,” said DeLaurentis who delivered his speech last Friday, as representative of the US government, during the final day of the 77th Session of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee — also referred to as the Fourth Committee  — of the UN General Assembly on decolonization agenda.

American Samoa, Guam, and the U.S Virgin Islands are among the 17 territories around the world the United Nations deems as non-self governing, in the 77th Session of the Committee that began on Oct. 03 and concluded last Friday at the UN headquarters in New York City.

In his speech, DeLaurentis told the UN committee that the U.S “recognizes the challenges American Samoa, Guam, and the U.S Virgin Islands face due to their size, isolated locations, and limited natural resources.”

In collaboration with the territorial governments, he said the U.S works collectively to promote political, social, and economic development in the territories.

He noted that the “strong relationship” between the territories and the rest of the nation was demonstrated by the inclusion of the territories in the same federal pandemic relief, recovery, and Build Back Better Act programs provided to all 50 U.S. States.

And that “innate sense of inclusion” has also been consistent in the rollout and implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act, which will provide unprecedented resources for both infrastructure investment and climate change adaptation.

According to DeLaurentis, the U.S. recognizes its obligations under Article 73(e) of the UN Charter to promote self-determination for the peoples of American Samoa, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Although the three territories have the status of “Non-Self-Governing Territories,” he said the territories are locally self-governing under Federal and local law establishing democratic political institutions and strong private sector led economies.

 “They are governed by residents of their communities who are freely elected by their residents to establish their priorities, to decide how their resources are shared and expended, and to determine their path to ensure an honoring of their identity and to foster the relationships necessary to nurture it,” he emphasized.

Additionally the territories enjoy political representation at the federal level to the U.S House of Representatives. And the governors of these territories are regularly invited to US Congressional committees to report on the status of the territories and to advocate for Federal policy changes and initiatives.

The U.S Mission to the UN publicly released DeLaurentis speech online (usun.usmission.gov) and found under the tab: “Remarks and Highlights”.

Prior to the conclusion of the session, the Fourth Committee approved five draft resolutions, including three by recorded vote, and one draft decision concerning decolonization and related agenda items. The measures are to be presented later to the General Assembly.

According to publicly released Committee records, the United States voted against all three draft resolutions — with recorded vote —  including one measure titled “Economic and other activities which affect the interests of the peoples of the Non-Self-Governing Territories”.

This draft resolution would see the UN General Assembly reaffirm the right of the peoples of the Non-Self-Governing Territories to the enjoyment of their natural resources and their right to dispose of those resources in their best interests.  

It would also urge the administering Powers — such as the U.S — to take effective measures to safeguard those rights.  Further, it would call upon the administering powers to provide all the necessary assistance to the peoples of the Non-Self-Governing Territories affected by hurricanes, natural phenomena or other extreme weather events.

Details of the resolutions and other information from the Fourth Committee meeting is available at the UN website (www.un.org).