Trusteeship Council

Supervising trust territories (now inactive)

Main organs

The Trusteeship Council supervised territories placed under the international trusteeship system after the Second World War, helping them move towards self-government or independence.

Purpose

It was established to supervise territories that had been League of Nations mandates or were taken from defeated powers, and to promote their political, economic, social and educational advancement towards self-government or independence.

Its work

Supervised 11 trust territories, mostly in Africa and the Pacific.
Examined reports from administering powers and sent visiting missions.
All trust territories became independent or joined neighbouring states; examples include Togo, Cameroon, Tanzania (Tanganyika), Rwanda, Burundi, Samoa, Nauru and Papua New Guinea.

Why it is inactive

When Palau, the last trust territory, became independent and joined the UN in 1994, the Council suspended its operations. It remains one of the six principal organs in the Charter and can meet if required; there have been proposals to give it new roles, such as managing global commons.