The Fourth Committee of the United Nations (UN), also known as the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (SPECPOL), is one of the oldest committees, created in 1990 by combining the Special Political Committee and the Decolonization Committee. This new formation allowed the UN to combine the specialized focus on decolonization. SPECPOL promotes post-colonized nations to navigate global challenges and stability within many regions affected by historical rule. The committee served as the central forum for debates on issues such as self-determination, colonialism, peacekeeping operations, peaceful uses of outer space, and effects of atomic radiation. Currently, the committee has been reviewing special political missions including the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees, and Israeli Practices and settlement activities affecting the rights of the Palestinian people and other Arabs of occupied territories. SPECPOL offers several approaches to a large variety of complex political issues within the UN.