International conference dedicated to Guadeloupe's decolonization held in Baku
Baku, which has become a hub for decolonization dialogues, hosted an international thematic conference dedicated to Guadeloupe, which remains under France's colonial rule.
The conference, titled "Towards the Decolonization of Guadeloupe! Challenges and Perspectives," is jointly organized by the Baku Initiative Group (BIG), the People's Union for the Liberation of Guadeloupe (UPLG), the Guadeloupe International Movement for Reparations (MIR-Guadeloupe), the International Committee of Black Peoples (CIPN), and the Movement for the Birth of the Guadeloupe Nation (FKNG).
Guadeloupean representative Jose Bvakanpec stated that the island has endured four centuries of bloody colonialism under France, which bears responsibility for its history of oppression.
Abbas Abbasov, Executive Director of the Baku Initiative Group, noted that Guadeloupe’s colonial status reflects France’s ongoing policy of inequality. He highlighted the island’s high unemployment rate of 18-20%, significantly above mainland France, and emphasized BIG’s support for the Guadeloupean people’s right to self-determination.
Jean-Jacob Bicep, national coordinator of the Guadeloupe branch of the International Front for Decolonization (FID), said that although Azerbaijan and Guadeloupe are geographically distant, they share a common goal: sovereignty and justice.
Activist Luc Reinette criticized France’s refusal to acknowledge its colonial past, accusing it of perpetuating inequality since the Napoleonic era through slavery and territorial expansion, without ever offering an apology.
Journalist and producer Danik Zandronis recalled how media in Guadeloupe, controlled by colonial authorities, avoided addressing colonial issues until the 1990s and still serves colonial interests.
Victor Arthein, member of the Guadeloupe Communist Party and Municipal Council of Port Louis, stated that the island’s political sovereignty has never been secured, its economy remains dependent on imports, and its agricultural and trade sectors are weakened. He called for legal and institutional reforms to achieve independence and economic self-sufficiency.
The conference featured presentations on the history of colonialism, political and economic decolonization, cultural liberation, and the social and environmental consequences of colonial rule. Speakers condemned the status of Guadeloupe as a French overseas department, which limits the islanders’ right to determine their own future, and discussed unresolved issues such as historical injustices, exploitation, and environmental damage — including the devastating effects of the toxic pesticide chlordecone.
Participants called for Guadeloupe’s right to self-determination to be placed on international agendas and for France to comply with relevant UN resolutions and decolonization principles.
The event concluded with the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation between the Baku Initiative Group and MIR-Guadeloupe, promoting joint activities in politics, environment, culture, and social issues. The final conference statement was presented by Abbas Abbasov.
