TOKELAU | Is Independence Possible?

In May 2020, a leader of the tiny Pacific territory of Tokelau suggested that the islands could hold a referendum on independence from New Zealand. If it were to become an independent sovereign state, it would become the world's smallest country by quite some margin. So, is statehood really a viable option? Or is Tokelau simply just too small to be an independent country?

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Tokelau is one of the most remote territories on earth. It is also one of the smallest. Its population stands at just 1,400. Despite this, the UN has had it on its list of non-self-governing territories since 1946. Although it held two referendums on free association with New Zealand, in 2006 and 2007, neither met the required two-thirds threshold to pass. However, it now seems that a third attempt might be planned for 2025. This time, however, the status quo would not be an option. Tokelau would be expected to make a choice between integration or free association with New Zealand, or full independence. If it were to choose independence, it would have a mere tenth the population of the current smallest UN member by population, the nearby Pacific island state Tuvalu. This raises questions about whether it would meet the conditions for Statehood as laid down by the Montevideo Convention, or whether it would be viable as a sovereign independent state in real terms.

CHAPTERS
0:00 Introduction and Titles
0:54 A Proposal for a Referendum on Tokelau's Future
1:58 The Geography and History of Tokelau
3:51 Tokelau, Decolonisation and the UN
4:40 The 2006 & 2007 Referendums on Free Association
6:15 Integration vs Free Association with New Zealand
8:14 Is Independence Possible?
12:57 The Future of Tokelau

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FURTHER READING & USEFUL SOURCES

Government of Tokelau https://www.tokelau.org.nz
UN Page on Tokelau https://www.un.org/dppa/decolonizatio...
Secession and State Creation: What Everyone Needs to Know https://amzn.to/2MPY3W2 [PRE-ORDER]
Ashgate Research Companion to Secession https://amzn.to/2FabXyh
The Creation of States in International Law https://amzn.to/2Fc5ouO
Satow's Diplomatic Practice https://amzn.to/2sF1Kak
Recognition in International Relations https://amzn.to/2SJJmaY

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Secession and State Creation: What Everyone Needs to Know https://amzn.to/2MPY3W2 [PRE-ORDER]
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Kosovo: The Path to Contested Statehood in the Balkans https://amzn.to/35jiBN2
The Foreign Policy of Counter-Secession https://amzn.to/2Qinm5t
My other books https://amzn.to/2MlP13u

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KEYWORDS

#Tokelau #NewZealand #Decolonization
#InternationalPolitics #CurrentAffairs #InternationalRelations
#Secession #Statehood #Independence
#InternationalLaw #InternationalHistory
#Pacific #PacificIslands #Decolonisation

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