The
United Nations Trusteeship Council, one of the principal organs of the
United Nations, was established to help ensure that non-self-governing territories were administered in the best interests of the inhabitants and of international peace and security. The
trust territories - most of them former
mandates of the
League of Nations or territories taken from enemy states at the end of
World War II - have all now attained self-government or
independence, either as separate nations or by joining neighboring independent countries. The last was
Palau which became a member of the United Nations in December
1994.
The Trusteeship Council has suspended its operation.