ADDIS ABABA, Nov 24 (NNN-ENA) – Chairperson of the African Union (AU), Moussa Faki Mahamat, expressed deep concern, over the continued “colonial administration” of the UK to the Chagos Archipelago.
“The Chairperson expresses his deep concern over the continued colonial administration of the United Kingdom, to the Chagos Archipelago, in violation of the United Nations General Assembly’s Resolution 73/295, adopted on May 22, 2019, in which, the international community demanded from the United Kingdom, to withdraw unconditionally within six months from the date of the Resolution, which expired on Nov 22, 2019,” an AU statement issued late Friday, read.
Chairperson of the 55-member pan African bloc, further recalled that the UN General Assembly Resolution 73/295 was adopted, following the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice of Feb 25 this year, “on the legal effects of the separation of the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius in 1965.”
Mahamat also “reiterates support of the African Union to the Republic of Mauritius, for a complete decolonisation of the Chagos Archipelago, in conformity with the Constitutive Act of the African Union, which defines defence of the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of Member States, as one of its main objectives,” the statement read.
The AU Commission Chairperson also “called upon the United Kingdom to comply with the General Assembly Resolution, within the spirit of the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice.”
He further “requests the international community to continue its support to the Republic of Mauritius for a complete decolonisation of the Chagos Archipelago.”
Chagos Archipelago, a group of islands in the Indian Ocean, was hived off Mauritius, in the run-up to independence in 1965. Britain has retained possession of the islands ever since, while Mauritius has continued to claim its sovereignty over them.
The International Court of Justice, also the principal judicial organ of the UN, in Feb, handed Mauritius a victory, when it said that, Britain had illegally split the islands and should give up control of them.
The resolution, which received 116 votes in favour, demands that Britain withdraw its colonial administration, enabling Mauritius to complete the decolonisation of its territory “as rapidly as possible.”
The UN General Assembly’s Resolution 73/295, that was adopted on May 22 this year, demands that UK withdraw its colonial administration within six months, thus enabling Mauritius to complete the decolonisation of its territory “as rapidly as possible.”
The resolution, eventually, expired on Friday, as the UK failed to do so, much to the dissatisfaction of the AU, as it urged the UK “to comply with the General Assembly Resolution, within the spirit of the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice.”
