Baku made Paris panic. What was Macron afraid of?

The speech of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev at the Summit of Leaders of Small Island States at COP29 continues to be the subject of significant attention in foreign circles. First and foremost, it has provoked the ire of those whose ambitions and interests were hurt by the issues he raised.

In his speech about the challenges posed by climate change, President Aliyev noted that among the territories most affected by this process are the so-called overseas territories of France and the Netherlands, particularly those in the Caribbean and the Pacific. He listed territories that continue to suffer under colonial rule.

This is especially true for the territories under

"Between 1966 and 1996, French Polynesia experienced severe environmental degradation due to 193 nuclear tests conducted by France. France is responsible for significant soil and water pollution, as well as radiation contamination in the region. Radiation levels exceeded 4,900 percent of normal. If we include the 17 nuclear tests carried out by France in Algeria during its occupation, we can clearly see the extent of the damage this country has caused to the global ecosystem. The list of France's crimes in its so-called overseas territories would be incomplete if we did not mention the recent human rights violations committed by this regime. President Macron's government killed 13 and injured 169 people during a legitimate Kanak protest in New Caledonia this year, and arrested 1,700 others. During protests in Martinique and Guadeloupe, also this year, 38 people were arrested. Despite all this, France has not been condemned by the European Commission, the European Parliament, or the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. This is political hypocrisy," President Ilham Aliyev said.

Those who reacted hysterically to these statements from the Azerbaijani President have accused Baku of all sorts of sins. However, it is important to understand that the fight against neocolonialism is not an initiative of Baku alone. Azerbaijan has merely picked up and supported the efforts of the United Nations, which the developed world has largely ignored. By the way, the idea of climate finance for small island states is not our invention either; the UN has been pushing for this for quite some time.

December, it will be 64 years since the adoption of UN General Assembly Resolution 1514 (XV) on the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, also known as the Magna Carta of Decolonization. In this resolution, the General Assembly recognized that the subjugation of peoples to foreign enslavement and domination constitutes a denial of fundamental human rights, contradicts the Charter of the United Nations, and hinders the strengthening of peace and cooperation worldwide. The UN declared the necessity of the swift and unconditional eradication of colonialism in all its forms and manifestations.

Sixty-four years have passed, yet colonialism still refuses to be eradicated. The reason, it seems, is that countries attempting to dominate the world have a vested interest in its preservation.

After Brexit, France immediately began efforts to position itself as a leader within the European Union. Unlike the British, the French have largely lost the territories they once controlled, but it still feels good to be called an empire, a global and maritime power. Despite playing no significant role in the victory over fascism, France, thanks to the patronage of the USSR, was considered one of the victors after World War II, which surprised even the Germans. The country, which offered little resistance to the German occupation, began to act as if the victory was its own. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, France began promoting its own interests. However, Paris has always been indifferent to the UN itself. Despite the 1960 resolution on the eradication of colonialism, France continued to hold onto many of its territories, with the UN powerless to intervene.

In 1990, the UN General Assembly declared the first international Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism (1990–2000), followed by the second decade in 2001, and the third in 2011. In 2020, the General Assembly adopted resolution 75/123, declaring the period from 2021 to 2030 as the fourth International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism. So, we are currently in the midst of this process. It means that Azerbaijan's efforts are very timely.

Since the creation of the United Nations, 80 former colonies have gained independence. The Special Committee continues to monitor the situation in the remaining 17 territories to assist in their decolonization, as outlined in UN documents. However, there has been no significant progress, because the metropolitan powers refuse to relinquish their influence.

Could France be interested in the decolonization of its so-called overseas territories? Of course not. A few years ago, at a conference in Saint-Denis (French Réunion), Macron declared that "France is an Indo-Pacific maritime and island state, the second-largest maritime power in the world." Paris has no intention of relinquishing this status in compliance with UN resolutions because, as he pointed out, "the Indo-Pacific region today represents 22 percent of the world’s wealth, and soon it will be 25 percent." Therefore, Macron announced, "France will increase its military presence in the Indian Ocean, especially in Mayotte and Réunion, particularly to combat piracy."

With this approach, the colonial power should expect the UN to declare a fifth decade for the eradication of neo-colonialism.

The situation around the Éparses Islands is a particularly telling example in this regard.

In 1897, Madagascar and its territories became a French colony, including the Éparses Islands under French control. In 1960, Madagascar gained independence, but France, through various political and administrative maneuvers, managed to retain control over the strategically important archipelago, which is rich in natural resources. Paris has never hidden the fact that it operates by the right of the stronger. President De Gaulle famously stated, "These islands and islets may be important to us, particularly for conducting nuclear tests. I will not allow Madagascar to have any involvement in what happens on these islands, including meteorological observations." No one dared to challenge him, not even the UN.

Since 2005, the Éparses Islands have been part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands. In May 2019, the issue was discussed during talks in Paris between President Macron and Madagascar's head of state, Andry Rajoelina. A bilateral commission was established to work out an agreement for the 60th anniversary of Madagascar’s independence. However, instead of fulfilling the agreements, France declared the archipelago a national nature reserve. In October 2019, Macron visited the islands and posed defiantly, which sparked outrage in Madagascar. French presidents before him had avoided making such visits, keeping a diplomatic distance. But Macron, who sees himself as either the new Napoleon or a revived De Gaulle, turned out to be the most brazen of all.

France needs the Éparses Islands for two main reasons. First, the territory is rich in hydrocarbon resources. Second, by controlling the archipelago, France has the ability to monitor an area of 640,400 square kilometers of ocean, almost twice the size of the water basin controlled by mainland France (371,000 square kilometers).

Since 1973, Madagascar has demanded the return of the islands, arguing that the decolonization process has not been completed. In 1979 and 1980, the UN adopted resolutions supporting Madagascar's claim, calling on France to begin negotiations for the return of the islands. UN Resolution 34/91 stressed that the islands were remnants of colonial rule and called for their status to be resolved through international dialogue. The African Union has repeatedly demanded that the islands be returned to Madagascar.

However, France has always remained deeply indifferent to the opinions of international organizations. The "new Napoleon" sees himself as the master of the seas and oceans, as well as Europe's leading figure.

Madagascar still hopes that France will follow the example of Great Britain, which voluntarily returned the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. However, after listening to President Macron, such hopes seem increasingly unlikely.