Azerbaijan Leading the Second Wave of Decolonization Movement: A Spotlight on Abbas Abbasov
Azerbaijan Leads in Decolonization Process, Says Baku Initiative Group
During the IV session of the UN Permanent Forum for People of African Descent, Abbas Abbasov, Executive Director of the Baku Initiative Group (BIG), praised Azerbaijan’s leadership in the decolonization process. He stated that Azerbaijan’s support for national resistance and independence movements has laid the foundation for a new stage in decolonization.
Abbasov highlighted the role of the International Decolonization Front in the summits and conferences of the Non-Aligned Movement chaired by Azerbaijan. He mentioned that BIG has organized numerous international conferences and published reports and books in the last two years.
“The first wave of the decolonization process resulted in African countries gaining independence in the 1960s. I believe that thanks to Azerbaijan’s successful chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement and BIG’s activities, the 2020s will witness the second wave of this process,” Abbasov said.
Despite facing cyber attacks and traditional pressures, Abbasov emphasized that BIG remains committed to supporting movements against French and Dutch colonialism. He noted that the voices of territories supported by the organization are now being heard on international platforms.
As an international think tank in the field of decolonization, BIG has organized conferences in Baku, known as the capital of the decolonization process. The organization has also held conferences at the UN headquarters in New York and submitted reports to the UN Human Rights Council and other bodies. UN institutions are now requesting special reports from France regarding events in New Caledonia and French Polynesia.
Overall, BIG continues to play a crucial role in advancing the decolonization process and supporting independence movements worldwide.
