International Decades for the Eradication of Colonialism

First International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism (1990 - 2000)

Recalling that the year 1990 would mark the 30th anniversary of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples (also known as the 1960 Declaration on Decolonization and adopted as General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV)), the General Assembly adopted resolution 43/47 in 1988 declaring the period 1990 to 2000 the International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism and adopted a plan of action to accelerate the implementation of the 1960 Declaration on Decolonization.

The plan of action was contained in the annex to the report of the Secretary-General of 13 December 1991 on the International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism (A/46/634/Rev.1) and adopted by the General Assembly by its resolution 46/181 in 1991. The plan of action is divided into sections that highlight the roles of various actors in working towards the eradication of colonialism. It refers to: the role of the international community as a whole; priority action by the United Nations in cooperation with the administering Powers; priority actions required of the administering Powers; measures which should be taken by Member States at the national level; the role of specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system and non-governmental organizations; and action to be taken by the Special Committee on the situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples (Special Committee on Decolonization or C-24).

Other General Assembly resolutions: resolution 54/91 and resolution 55/147

Other reports of the Secretary-General: A/44/800 (in 1989), A/45/624 (in 1990), A/46/593 and A/46/593/Add.1 (in 1991), A/54/219 (in 1999) and A/55/497 (in 2000) 

Second International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism (2001 - 2010)

In 2000, the General Assembly by its resolution 55/146 declared the period 2001 to 2010 the Second International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism. By the same resolution, the General Assembly called upon Member States to redouble their efforts to implement the plan of action for the First International Decade, as contained in the above-mentioned 1991 report of the Secretary-General (A/46/634/Rev.1), updated where necessary, to serve as the plan of action for the Second International Decade. In 2001, the Secretary-General informed the General Assembly that the views and suggestions submitted by Member States and which were summarized in the plan of action for the First Decade, remained largely relevant to the Second Decade. In accordance with General Assembly resolution 55/146, the plan of action was updated as necessary and was included as an annex to the report of the Secretary-General of 22 March 2001 on the Second International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism (A/56/61). 

Other General Assembly resolutions: resolution 60/120 

Other reports of the Secretary-General: A/60/71 and A/60/71/Add.1 (in 2005) and A/65/330 and A/65/330/Add.1 (in 2010)

Third International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism (2011 - 2020)

In 2010, the General Assembly adopted resolution 65/119 declaring the period 2011-2020 the Third International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism and calling upon Member States to intensify their efforts to continue to implement the plan of action for the Second International Decade (see A/56/61, annex) and to cooperate with the C-24 in updated it as necessary, with a view to using it as the basis for a plan of action for the Third International Decade.

Reports of the Secretary-General on the Third International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism: A/70/73 and A/70/73/Add.1 (in 2015) and A/75/220/Rev.1 and A/75/220/Add.1 (in 2020).

“Fulfilling the Promise of Decolonization”, article in “Politically Speaking” on the end of the Third International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism (2011-2020).