Question of the British Virgin Islands : resolution / adopted by the General Assembly
| Publisher | UN General Assembly |
| Author | UN General Assembly (41st sess. : 1986-1987) |
| Publication Date | 31 October 1986 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | A/RES/41/19 |
| Reference | 41 |
| Cite as | UN General Assembly, Question of the British Virgin Islands : resolution / adopted by the General Assembly, 31 October 1986, A/RES/41/19, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3b00f00298.html [accessed 11 October 2022] |
Question of the British Virgin Islands
The General Assembly, Having considered the question of the British Virgin Islands, Having examined the relevant chapters of the report of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, Recalling its resolution 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960, containing the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, and all other resolutions and decisions of the United Nations relating to the British Virgin Islands, including in particular its resolution 40/44 of 2 December 1985, Conscious of the need to ensure the full and speedy implementation of the Declaration in respect of the Territory, Aware of the special circumstances of the geographical location and economic conditions of the Territory and bearing in mind the necessity of diversifying and further strengthening its economy as a matter of priority in order to promote economic stability, Reaffirming that it is the responsibility of the administering Power to promote the economic and social development of the Territory, Noting that, while the service sectors of the economy of the British Virgin Islands are growing, agriculture and manufacturing have remained relatively static, and noting in that connection the continuing commitment of the territorial Government to attaining economic diversification, particularly in the areas of agriculture, fisheries and small industries, and the constraints which the Territory faces in that regard, Welcoming the contribution to the development of the British Virgin Islands by the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system that operate in the Territory, as well as that of regional organizations, including the Caribbean Development Bank, and noting the further allocation of funds by the United Nations Development Programme, Welcoming also the continued participation of the Territory in the Caribbean Group for Co-operation in Economic Development, sponsored by the World Bank, and in other regional and international organizations, including the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean and its subsidiary bodies, and noting the admission of the Territory in April 1985 to membership in the Caribbean Centre for Development Administration, Recalling the dispatch in 1976 of a United Nations visiting mission to the Territory, Mindful that United Nations visiting missions provide an effective means of ascertaining the situation in the small Territories and considering that the possibility of sending a further visiting mission to the British Virgin Islands at an appropriate time should be kept under review,1. Approves the chapter of the report of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples relating to the British Virgin Islands;
2. Reaffirms the inalienable right of the people of the British Virgin Islands to self-determination and independence in conformity with the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, contained in General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV);
3. Reiterates the view that such factors as territorial size, geographical location, size of population and limited natural resources should in no way delay the speedy exercise by the people of the Territory of their inalienable right to self-determination and independence in conformity with the Declaration, which fully applies to the British Virgin Islands;
4. Reiterates that it is the responsibility of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, as the administering Power, to create such conditions in the British Virgin Islands as will enable the people of the Territory to exercise freely and without interference their inalienable right to self-determination and independence in accordance with resolution 1514 (XV)and all other relevant resolutions of the General Assembly;
5. Reaffirms that it is ultimately for the people of the British Virgin Islands themselves to determine their future political status in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Charter of the United Nations and the Declaration, and in that connection reaffirms the importance of fostering an awareness among the people of the Territory of the possibilities open to them in the exercise of their right to self-determination;
6. Calls upon the administering Power, in co-operation with the territorial Government, to intensify its efforts to broaden the base of the economy of the Territory;
7. Urges the administering Power, in co-operation with the Government of the British Virgin Islands, to safeguard the inalienable right of the people of the Territory to the enjoyment of their natural resources by taking effective measures to ensure their right to own and dispose of those resources and to establish and maintain control of their future development;
8. Urges the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system to intensify measures to accelerate progress in the social and economic development of the Territory;
9. Reiterates its call upon the administering Power to continue to facilitate the participation of the British Virgin Islands in various international and regional organizations and in other organizations of the United Nations system;
10. Calls upon the administering Power, noting that nearly two fifths of the employed labour force consists of expatriates, to facilitate, in co-operation with the territorial Government, the adoption of a manpower training programme by further upgrading the educational system, in order to expand the participation of the local population in the decision-making process in all sectors and to fill managerial and technical positions with local persons;
11. Requests the Special Committee to continue the examination of this question at its next session, including the possible dispatch of a visiting mission to the British Virgin Islands at an appropriate time and in consultation with the administering Power, and to report thereon to the General Assembly at its forty-second session.
