A/RES/74/109
Question of Tokelau
pointing to successful cooperation for decolonization, Tokelau has wider significance
for the United Nations as it seeks to complete its work in decolonization,
Recalling the status of Tokelau as an associate member of the Food and
Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and of the Pacific Islands Forum,
Acknowledging the World No Tobacco Day Award for the western Pacific region
granted to Tokelau in 2017 by the World Health Organization for its policy entitled
“Tobacco-Free Tokelau by 2020”, and expressing hope that this could contribute to
the well-being of the Territory and its peoples,
Cognizant that New Zealand and Tokelau signed, on 21 November 2003, a
document entitled “Joint statement of the principles of partnership”, which sets out
the rights and responsibilities of the two partners,
Bearing in mind the decision of the General Fono at its meeting in November
2003, following extensive consultations undertaken in all three villages, to explore
formally with New Zealand the option of self-government in free association, its
decision in August 2005 to hold in February 2006 a referendum on self-determination
on the basis of a draft constitution for Tokelau and a draft treaty of free association
with New Zealand, and its subsequent decision to hold a further referendum in
October 2007, and bearing in mind also that the two referendums did not produce the
two-thirds majority of valid votes cast required by the General Fono to change the
status of Tokelau from that of a Non-Self-Governing Territory under the
administration of New Zealand,
Recalling the holding of free and fair elections in the Territory in January 2017,
and noting the most recent change of the Ulu-o-Tokelau during its seventh General
Fono, on 12 March 2019, in the lead-up to the general elections to be held in Tokelau
in January 2020,
Noting the 2013 constitutional consultations, to be further considered by the
Constitution Committee, which were driven by the people of Tokelau and which
aimed at developing a model of government structure that is culturally appropriate
and sensitive to their current situation, culminating in the approval and ratification of
the national symbol of the Territory, along with the constitution, national anthem and
national flag,
Cognizant of the statement made by the Ulu-o-Tokelau at the Pacific regional
seminar on the implementation of the Third International Decade for the Eradication
of Colonialism, held in Nadi, Fiji, from 21 to 23 May 2014, and also of the written
statement for the Pacific regional seminar held in Saint George ’s from 9 to 11 May
2018 that the self-determination process of the Territory could not be addressed in
isolation from the threat of climate change, the rise in sea level and the challenges to
the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, 2 and bearing in mind the intention of
Tokelau to articulate its development and other priorities in the National Strategic
Plan for 2016–2020, including consideration of the issue of self-determination and
how it would prepare for a possible referendum on self-determination in cooperation
with the administering Power,
Recalling the official launch in April 2017 of the climate change strategy of
Tokelau, entitled “Living with change: an integrated national strategy for enhancing
the resilience of Tokelau to climate change and related hazards, 2017–2030”, and the
implementation plan for the first five years of the strategy, from 1 July 2017 to
30 June 2022, and welcoming the launch of the Tokelau national greenhouse gas
inventory report on 11 April 2019,
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Resolution 70/1.
19-21928