On 9 September, we commemorate the 60th anniversary of Ruda’s Statement, the statement delivered by the then Legal Counselor of the Foreign Ministry, Ambassador José María Ruda, before the UN Special Committee on Decolonization. His address was a historic milestone in the sovereignty dispute over the Malvinas, South Georgias and South Sandwich Islands and the surrounding maritime areas.
The United Nations Special Committee on Decolonization, also identified as C24, currently chaired by Menissa Rambally (Saint Lucia), will undertake a visiting mission to the British Virgin Islands from 26 to 27 August.
While in New York Argentine foreign minister Diana Mondino not only participated in the United Nations Decolonization Committee or C24, claiming sovereignty over the Falkland Islands, but also signed a significant international instrument that should help with the plus 201 mile IUU fishing in the South Atlantic.
“If you have to deny the existence of a people to make your argument work, your argument doesn’t work,” has been the public reply of Falkland Islands lawmaker MLA Teslyn Barkman to the piece of Argentina's foreign minister Diana Mondino addressed to Falkland Islanders, during this week's session of the Special Decolonization Committee, or C24, held at the United Nations, New York.
Address to the United Nations Special Committee on the situation with regard to the implementation of the declaration on the granting of independence to colonial countries and peoples. Also known as the Committee or C24, 18 June 2024. Petition by MLA Gavin Short, member of the Falkland Islands elected Legislative Assembly.
June is a most poignant month for the Falkland Islands since on the 14th, the community commemorates the Liberation of the Islands in 1982 after 74 days of occupation by Argentine forces.
The Falkland Islands Legislative Assembly is pleased to share that MLAs Teslyn Barkman and Gavin Short have been in Washington D.C as part of a small Falklands Delegation since Sunday, June 9th, ahead of the UN Committee of 24 on Decolonization on the 18th of June.
Gibraltar Health and Care Minister, Gemma Arias Vasquez, speaking at United Nations headquarters in New York has told the Decolonization Committee of 24 it has failed to engage with Gibraltar for decades. The UN session started on Monday at 9.30 am in New York.
British Foreign Minister for the Americas and the Caribbean, David Rutley MP gave a statement, on 23 June, to the Organization of America States in response to the Argentine Government's draft declaration on the Falkland Islands:
This week Argentina's Malvinas, Antarctica, and South Atlantic Secretary, Guillermo Carmona is off to Brazil where he has scheduled several conferences and to request greater support for Argentina's claim over the Falkland Islands.