UN should ‘look, listen and act’, SDGG Chairman says  

The UK/EU treaty on Gibraltar has shown progress is possible demonstrating that when “reality changes” this should be reflected, Richard Buttigieg, the chairman of the SDGG, told the UN Fourth Committee on Monday, as he called Gibraltar to be struck off the list of non-self-governing territories. 

Addressing the committee’s session in New York, Mr Buttigieg said Gibraltar had built democratic institutions, governed itself and repeatedly made its wishes known, yet still remains on the UN list of non-self-governing territories. 

Mr Buttigieg said he was not asking the committee to take Gibraltar’s side, but instead to “look, listen and act”. 

“There is a generation growing up which should not have to inherit a question that has remained unresolved for decades before them,” he said. 

“The recent agreement has shown us that progress is possible.” 

He said the recent agreement between Gibraltar, the UK and the European Union on a new framework for Gibraltar’s relationship with the EU showed what could be achieved through negotiations. 

“In 2026, after years of difficult negotiations, Gibraltar, the United Kingdom and the European Union reached agreement on a new framework for Gibraltar’s relationship with the European Union,” he said. 

“I believe that agreement carries an important lesson for this Committee.” 

“Because the agreement shows that when people sit around a table in good faith, listen to one another and truly look for practical solutions, they can achieve things that once seemed extremely difficult, if not impossible.” 

He questioned why Gibraltar remained on the list of non-self-governing territories created more than 70 years ago and what was the UN waiting for. 

Mr Buttigieg said pointed out how the people of Gibraltar have built democratic institutions, govern themselves, and take responsibility for their own affairs. 

“Mr Chairman, that list is supposed to describe reality,” he said. 

“But when reality changes, surely the list must change too.” 

Mr Buttigieg again invited the UN to send a visiting mission “once and for all” to then ask themselves whether the description of Gibraltar on that list still reflects the Gibraltar that exists today. 

“So perhaps now is the time for the United Nations they too can progress and complete the UN work that remains unfinished,” he said. 

“If there is something more that Gibraltar must do, we deserve to know what it is. And if there is not, then surely the time has come to act.” 

“Mr Chairman, I do not want to stand before this Committee year after year, repeating the same words. But I (or others) will continue to do so.” 

“Because the next generation must be able to look back at all of you and say: They finally listened. They finally came. And they finally finished the job.”