Falkland Islanders urge Canada to back their self-determination at the OAS assembly
Key takeaways
- The Falkland Islands Government has called on Canada to use the General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS), held this week in Panama, to publicly support the Islanders' right to self-determination.
- The British Overseas Territory, located in the South Atlantic, is claimed by Argentina, which occupied it for ten weeks in 1982 before being driven out by a British naval task force.
- The lawmakers noted that Canada had defended the self-determination of Greenland and Ukraine, and recalled that in 2017 it last expressed explicit backing for the Islanders.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
The Falkland Islands Government has called on Canada to use the General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS), held this week in Panama, to publicly support the Islanders' right to self-determination. Last week, two members of the archipelago's Legislative Assembly traveled to Ottawa to meet with Global Affairs officials, members of parliament and senators, in search of support.
The British Overseas Territory, located in the South Atlantic, is claimed by Argentina, which occupied it for ten weeks in 1982 before being driven out by a British naval task force. The United Kingdom considers the archipelago sovereign territory, a position backed by its residents, who in a 2013 referendum voted overwhelmingly —99.8% with a 92% turnout— to remain a British Overseas Territory. Argentina, which calls the archipelago the Islas Malvinas, bases its claim on its succession to Spanish sovereignty and regards the United Kingdom as a colonial power.
The lawmakers noted that Canada had defended the self-determination of Greenland and Ukraine, and recalled that in 2017 it last expressed explicit backing for the Islanders. MLA Michael Goss described the conversations in Ottawa as productive and respectful and said his delegation had asked Canada to speak out in favor of their self-determination, including at the OAS. MLA Dorothy Gould said the Islands had contracted an Israeli company to explore their oil reserves and expressed a wish to develop trade ties with Canada.