The Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago has taken the decision to formally recognisze the State of Palestine.
As recommended by the Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs, the country’s Cabinet has determined that the formal recognition of Palestine by the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago will assist in the achievement of a lasting peace by strengthening the growing international consensus on the issue of Palestinian statehood.
Trinidad and Tobago has a long history of principled support for the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination. The Government’s consistent position is that a two-State solution is the only way out of the ongoing cycle of violence.
“This is our consistent foreign policy position, which is founded on Trinidad and Tobago’s respect for and adherence to international law and to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations,” said the Foreign Ministry of the country in a press statement.
It said this support has been consistently demonstrated through the endorsement by Trinidad and Tobago of key resolutions on Palestine at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). Such resolutions include Resolution 67/19, which accorded Palestine Non-Member Observer State status in the UNGA, and the annual resolutions of the UNGA on the Permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem.
Since the outbreak of the ongoing Israeli aggression on Gaza in October 2023, Trinidad and Tobago also supported resolutions adopted at the Emergency Special Sessions of the UNGA held on October 27 and December 10, 2023, on the Protection of civilians and upholding legal and humanitarian obligations.
Trinidad and Tobago has been a longstanding advocate of the two-State solution as the credible path to peace and security for Palestinians, the Israelis and, by extension, the wider region.
“Recognition of Palestine is moral and just and demonstrates Trinidad and Tobago’s acknowledgement of and support for the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian People,” said the statement.
Trinidad and Tobago will join 141 other countries that recognize Palestine, Algeria being the first to have done so in 1988.
Source: WAFA
