THE UNITED NATIONS FAMILY 31
Trusteeship Council In 1945, when the United Nations was established, 11 non-self-governing territories (mostly in Africa and the Pacific Ocean) were placed under international supervision. The major goals of the trusteeship system were to promote the advancement of the inhabitants of such Trust Territories and their progression towards self-government or independence. Membership The Trusteeship Council is composed of the permanent members of the Security Council (China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States). Each member has one vote, and decisions are made by a simple majority. Meetings Since the last Trust Territory—Palau, formerly administered by the United States— achieved self-government in 1994 and became a Member State of the United Nations, the Council formally suspended operations after nearly half a century. It will meet again only as the need arises.
FOCUS ON
Decolonization In 1945, half of the world’s people lived in countries that were governed from outside. These countries, known as colonies, were controlled by a handful of major, mostly—but not only—European powers. Through the process known as decolonization, the United Nations has helped the colonies gain independence. The General Assembly, in 1960, adopted a declaration to urge the speedy independence of all colonies and peoples. The following year, it set up a Special Committee on Decolonization. As a result of the United Nations’ efforts, more than 80 former colonies are now themselves members of the Organization. Today, about one million people live in dependent territories. Many of the territories—for the most part small or isolated islands—wish to remain associated with their outside administering powers and have established autonomous local institutions to manage their own affairs. However, after the withdrawal of Spain as administering power in 1976, the question of the status of Western Sahara has yet to be resolved. This remains a focus of United Nations attention, with the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) established in 1991. A referendum under discussion would invite the territory’s inhabitants to decide if they desire full independence as a sovereign State or integration with Morocco.