Andorra · 30th anniversary of Andorra's accession to the UN

Andorra’s admission to the United Nations on 28 July 1993 was closely connected with the country’s reorganisation as a state. For centuries, Andorra had been organised as a co-principality. Its heads of state were and remain the Bishop of Urgell and the French head of state. For a long time, many political structures were based on historical customary rights and traditional agreements, while its capacity to act in foreign policy had been developed only to a limited extent.

In 1993, the population adopted a written constitution for the first time in a referendum. It declared Andorra an independent, democratic and social state governed by the rule of law, and established the parliamentary system as well as the responsibilities of the co-princes, Parliament and the Government. At the same time, it made clear that state sovereignty lay with the Andorran people. This gave the country the constitutional basis to maintain international relations independently and join international organisations.

Following a recommendation by the Security Council, the General Assembly approved Andorra’s admission without opposition. The Principality thereby became the 184th member of the United Nations. Catalan was also used at the admission ceremony. This carried additional significance for Andorra because Catalan is the country’s official language, but appears only rarely as a state language in international organisations.

Membership enabled Andorra to participate in the General Assembly and in the work of UN organisations. These activities include, among other things, questions of international law, human rights, sustainable development and international cooperation. For a microstate, the organisation also provides a forum in which each member generally has one vote in the General Assembly.

The anniversary was chosen for a coin issue because the accession marked Andorra’s transition to a constitutionally governed state that was fully recognised internationally and acted independently in foreign policy. It is therefore directly connected with the political consequences of the constitutional reform of 1993.