BAKU—A statement summarizing the conclusions of the conference titled “Bonaire’s Pathway from Baku through UN General Assembly to Self-Determination” was adopted on August 22, following discussions led by the Baku Initiative Group in collaboration with the Bonaire Human Rights Organization and the Movement for Change. The conference highlighted the ongoing struggle of the people of Bonaire against Dutch colonial policies and their efforts to achieve self-determination.

According to Azeri-Press News Agency, the statement outlines the historical context of Bonaire, which was unilaterally incorporated by the Dutch Government as a “public body/entity” without autonomy following the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles in 2010. The statement emphasizes that this status change led to demographic shifts that have reduced native Bonaireans to a minority on their own island, as well as a disregard for a 2015 referendum in which 66% of voters rejected the imposed constitutional status.

The statement also calls for international support in re-registering Bonaire as a Non-Self-Governing Territory, which would require the Dutch Government to report annually to the UN General Assembly on Bonaire’s progress. The statement appeals for solidarity from the international community, including the Non-Aligned Movement, to support Bonaire’s inclusion on the UN’s list of Non-Self-Governing Territories.