Economic assistance, disasters and emergency relief 361

Chapter III Economic assistance, disasters and emergency relief

Countries facing severe economic difficulties and cil also urged Member States to contribute to the those requiring aid for reconstruction, rehabilita- United Nations effort to assist the people of Af- tion and development continued to receive special ghanistan (1988/52), while the Assembly, in De- assistance from the United Nations system dur- cember, called for assistance to Mozambique ing 1988. Several countries required assistance in (43/208). the aftermath of natural or man-made disasters. During the year, the mid-term review and ap- praisal of the implementation of the United Na- tions Programme of Action for African Economic Economic assistance Recovery and Development 1986-1990 was carried out. In November, the General Assembly adopted the conclusions of the mid-term review and ap- In 1988, the United Nations continued to pro- praisal and decided to conduct a final review and vide special economic assistance to countries with appraisal in 1991 (resolution 43/27). severe economic problems affecting their develop- ment efforts. Some programmes were designed to In December, the Assembly urgently appealed support national reconstruction efforts after nat- to all international organizations to Increase as- sistance in response to the reconstruction, eco- ural or man-made disasters, while others aimed nomic recovery and development needs of Benin, to help overcome obstacles to national develop- the Central African Republic, Democratic Yemen, ment posed by weak infrastructure. Some coun- Djibouti, Ecuador, Madagascar and Vanuatu tries were land-locked or were small, island de- (43/211), all of which were facing special economic veloping countries; a number of countries had been classified by the General Assembly as least and financial difficulties. The Assembly also re- developed. quested continued assistance for Chad (43/205) and Somalia (43/206). The mid-term review and appraisal of the The United Nations system, particularly the Of- United Nations Programme of Action for African fice of the United Nations Disaster Relief Co- Economic Recovery and Development 1986-1990 ordinator, continued to assist countries stricken by (UNPAAERD) was carried out in 1988. disasters. The Assembly, in October, requested the United Nations system and other multilateral or- ganizations to assist Bangladesh to strengthen its Critical economic situation in Africa capacity to assess, predict, prevent and mitigate In accordance with a 1986 request of the natural disasters (43/9). Also in October, States General Assembly,(1) the Secretary-General sub- were called on to assist Jamaica following hurri- mitted a report in August 1988,(2) prepared in the cane Gilbert in September (43/7) and to respond context of the mid-term review and appraisal of (3) urgently to the Sudan’s needs following torrential UNPAAERD, adopted by the Assembly in 1986. rain and floods in August (43/8). The Assembly The report, which built on the Secretary- also urged States to contribute generously to re- General’s report on the critical economic situation lief, rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in in Africa presented to the Assembly in 1987,(4) Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama and other coun- noted that the mid-term review and appraisal was tries affected by hurricane Joan which struck in taking place against a backdrop of a continuing October (43/17). deterioration in Africa’s economic situation. Eco- In February (resolution 1988/2) and May nomic performance during 1986-1988 was gener- (1988/3), the Economic and Social Council called ally disappointing. The gross domestic product on the international community to support locust (GDP) of the region rose by 1 per cent in 1986 and and grasshopper control activities undertaken by 0.8 per cent in 1987; however, per capita income African countries; that request was echoed by the fell by 2 and 2.2 per cent in those years. The re- Assembly in December (resolution 43/203). port, following the major themes of UNPAAERD, Both the Assembly and the Council (resolutions reviewed actions taken by African Governments, 43/207 and 1988/50, respectively) requested con- the international community and the United Na- tinued assistance for Lebanon in its reconstruc- tions system. It assessed the economic situation in tion and development efforts. In July. the Coun- Africa and made recommendations for further na- 362 Economic and social questions

tional, subregional, regional and international ac- hance the co-ordination of external assistance; tions to accelerate UNPAAERD's implementation. terms of existing multilateral loans should be ad- With regard to policy reforms, the report stated justed to provide increased concessionality and that African countries should continue to pursue more favourable grace and maturity periods; and policies aimed at accelerating recovery and im- efforts should be made to stimulate the flow of non- proving their economic performance. Particular at- concessional resources. Integral to increased re- tention needed to be given to domestic economic source flows were continuing efforts by African management, effective mobilization and utiliza- countries to sustain policy reform measures, im- tion of domestic resources, rationalization of public prove public expenditure programmes, ensure that investment policies, development and utilization scarce resources were put to effective use and im- of human resources, development and implemen- prove the management of aid. Measures were also tation of population policies, protection of the en- needed to improve the investment climate to en- vironment, improvement of international competi- courage local and foreign private investment. tiveness and diversification of production. Possible measures to increase export earnings Attention should also be given to developing the included: accelerating ongoing initiatives to food and agricultural sector and agro-related in- make the Common Fund for Commodities oper- dustries, to the fight against pests, drought and ational; reducing domestic agriculture subsidies desertification, and to other sectoral priorities by industrialized countries on products compet- identified in UNPAAERD. Efforts were needed to ing with those of Africa; removing barriers to mitigate the adverse socio-economic effects of ad- African exports; increasing the resources of the justment measures and to ensure that short-term International Monetary Fund (IMF) compensa- actions were compatible with medium- and long- tory financing facility; and establishing a gener- term structural transformation. While primarily alized programme to stabilize export earnings of the responsibility of African Governments, African countries. Also, efforts had to be made bilateral partners, multilateral financial institu- by African countries to diversify exports and in- tions and the United Nations system had an in- itiate measures to bring the production and sup- dispensable role to play in supporting a framework ply of their commodities into line with medium- of policy reforms and development objectives con- and long-term demand. sistent with long-term development strategies. With regard to the debt problem, the report Africa’s bilateral and multilateral partners needed recommended that consultations should be inten- to co-ordinate their efforts and co-operate with sified with regard to official bilateral debt Africa within an agreed framework; consultative (broadening the conversion of bilateral ODA loans groups and round-table meetings were suitable into grants embracing all ODA debts of African mechanisms for that. People’s participation in the countries, consolidating non-concessional, offi- recovery and development process needed to be cially guaranteed debt and debt-service payments broadened and made more effective, particularly into long-term loans at interest rates comparable through promoting increased access to develop- to those on IDA credits, and allowing African ment resources and benefits, creating favourable countries to repay part of their bilateral official conditions for decentralized decision-making and debts in local currencies to be used to finance de- encouraging greater entrepreneurship at all levels. velopment projects and programmes); multilateral The report noted that Africa’s efforts at eco- debt (refinancing IMF purchases on concessional nomic restructuring and policy reforms were se- terms and implementing a concessional facility to verely limited by the external constraints posed by repay outstanding World Bank debt by low-income the problems of debt, commodities and capital re- African countries that were pursuing reform meas- source flows. Financial flows to Africa, especially ures); and commercial bank loans (special debt re- concessional flows, had to be increased and their lief measures in favour of African countries, in- quality improved. A number of possible actions cluding more flexible conditions, lower interest were considered to be particularly relevant: donor rates, longer maturity and grace periods, disposal countries should substantially increase their offi- of claims at discounts and debt-equity swaps). cial development assistance (ODA) to Africa; co- Both the public and private sectors in African financing funds pledged under the World Bank’s countries would need to improve the management Special Programme of Assistance for low-income, of their foreign debt, negotiate more effectively debt-distressed countries should be made available with foreign creditors, co-ordinate new borrowing as soon as possible; agreed commitments to and exercise more effective control over external replenishments of the African Development Fund, borrowing. the International Fund for Agricultural Develop- The report also made recommendations with re- ment (IFAD) and the International Development gard to economic co-operation and integration, Association (IDA) should be fulfilled as soon as South-South co-operation, mitigating the impact possible; measures should be implemented to en- of destabilization, and peace and stability. Economic assistance, disasters and emergency relief 363

One addendum to the report(5) comprised a through the round-table process, and reviewed de- statistical annex, while the other,(6) prepared in velopments with respect to national technical co- response to Economic and Social Council decision operation assessments and programmes. It con- 1988/161 of 27 July 1988, discussed investment cluded by summarizing action taken by UNDP, in of transnational corporations in Africa. The lat- the context of UNPAAERD, in four specific areas: ter addendum addressed trends in foreign direct the private sector; economic and technical co- investment, opportunities for increased investment operation among developing countries; the pro- and impediments and policy measures, and sug- motion of women; and co-operation with non- gested possible international actions. governmental organizations (NGOs). CPC/ACC Joint Meetings. The 1988 Joint On 19 February,(12) the Governing Council re- Meetings of the Committee for Programme and quested the Administrator to submit proposals for Co-ordination (CPC) and the Administrative supplementary staffing and related costs in re- Committee on Co-ordination (ACC) (Geneva, 4 sponse to emergency and medium- and long-term and 5 July)(7) discussed the implementation of development requirements in Africa. In response UNPAAERD. They had before them a background to that request, the Administrator submitted a re- (13) paper summarizing the actions of several organi- port in which he proposed expanding UNDP’s zations of the United Nations system in response capacity to cope with emergency operations in to UNPAAERD and outlining policy issues relevant Africa, the annual cost of which would be $7.8 mil- to its implementation. The Committees suggested lion. That represented a 5 per cent increase in initiatives for further action, including the need UNDP’s core budget and a 16 per cent increase in to strengthen subregional groupings in Africa, in its Africa operations budget. view of their contributions to recovery and devel- On 1 July,(14) the Governing Council welcomed opment in the region. the approval of all the fourth-cycle country pro- UNDP activities. In response to a 1987 Gov- grammes and the intercountry programmes which (8) erning Council decision, the Administrator of reflected the priorities contained in UNPAAERD the United Nations Development Programme and called on the Administrator, in concert with (UNDP) submitted a report on the role of UNDP the recipient countries, to intensify efforts to speed (9) in implementing UNPAAERD. It updated his up programme delivery in Africa. It requested the 1987 report on the subject(10) and incorporated Administrator, in consultation with relevant the views and observations of the Working Group United Nations organs and bodies, recipient coun- of the Committee of the Whole during the Gov- tries and intergovernmental organizations, to do erning Council’s special session in February his utmost to speed up the approval process for 1988.(11) projects submitted by those organizations so as to The report described a number of consultative support subregional economic integration efforts processes in which UNDP was involved and which in Africa. He was also requested to continue his were strengthening co-ordination for a more ef- efforts to mobilize additional resources and urged fective implementation of UNPAAERD. It also high- to identify more concrete and innovative ap- lighted the most significant of UNDP’S special ini- proaches and actions in support of UNPAAERD and tiatives to address areas of major concern to to consult with African Governments in formulat- African countries in their implementation of UN- ing them. The Council also urged UNDP to con- PAAERD, particularly at the regional level. UNDP's tinue to strengthen its ties with NGOs and ensure contribution to the implementation of UN- their greater involvement in the implementation PAAERD’s priorities had been largely through the of UNDP-sponsored programmes. The Adminis- machinery of its country programmes and the in- trator was urged to support the implementation tercountry programme for Africa for the fourth of the United Nations Plan of Action to Combat (15) programming cycle (1987-1991). During the fourth Desertification and to support emergency ac- cycle, indicative planning figure (IPF) resources to- tivities against locusts. He was also requested to talling $1.21 billion had been allocated, under ensure continued support for actions of the United country and intercountry programmes, to projects Nations Steering Committee for the implementa- and programmes in sub-Saharan Africa, repre- tion of UNPAAERD, to ensure the involvement of senting an increase of $240 million or 24.7 per cent women in UNDP programmes and projects related over the third (1982-1986) cycle. Of the total IPF to UNPAAERD’s priority areas and to report to the resources allocated, over $1 billion was for the im- Council in 1989. plementation of 42 country programmes. Cost- UNCTAD action. In an August 1988 progress sharing budgets for Africa had also increased and report(16) to the Trade and Development Board of the trend was expected to continue. the United Nations Conference on Trade and De- The report also described UNDP’s leading role velopment (UNCTAD) on UNPAAERD’s implemen- and activities in aid co-ordination and resource tation, the UNCTAD secretariat stated that the mobilization for African countries, particularly UNCTAD contribution involved three main strands: 364 Economic and social questions ongoing programmes having elements of particu- the mid-term review and appraisal to the lar relevance to African countries and to UNPAAERD General Assembly for adoption (see below). priorities, relating particularly to programmes on trade in commodities, structural adjustment, debt ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL ACTION and resource flows, intra-African trade, South-South On 5 February 1988, the Economic and Social co-operation and trade with socialist countries, tech- Council adopted resolution 1988/1 without vote. nology transfer, transportation, and the Special Pro- Arrangements for the meeting of the gramme for Least Developed, Land-locked and Is- Ad Hoc Committee of the Whole of the General land Developing Countries; technical co-operation Assembly on the Review and Appraisal of the activities; and organization of and participation in United Nations Programme of Action for African inter-agency meetings, regional/subregional or coun- Economic Recovery and Development 1986-1990 try seminars and other forums implementing UN- The Economic and Social Council, PAAERD or having similar goals. Recalling General Assembly resolution 42/163 of 8 De- Also in August,(17) the secretariat reported on the cember 1987 on the United Nations Programme of Ac- tion for African Economic Recovery and Development interaction between the international economic en- 1986-1990, vironment and the efforts of African countries in Having considered the note by the Secretary-General on implementing UNPAAERD. It noted that the external the review and appraisal of the United Nations Programme economic environment since the adoption of UN- of Action for African Economic Recovery and Develop- PAAERD had not been conducive to African devel- ment 1986-1990, opment efforts and suggested a number of actions 1. Takes note with appreciation of the arrangements pro- and initiatives that could be expanded and acted posed by the Secretary-General in his note on the review on in order to support African countries’ efforts and appraisal of the United Nations Programme of Ac- towards economic recovery and development. It tion for African Economic Recovery and Development 1986-1990; noted that the international community could con- 2. Requests the governing bodies of all relevant organi- tribute to UNPAAERD'S implementation by strength- zations of the United Nations system to include an item ening its co-operation with African countries in ways on the review and appraisal of the United Nations Pro- that would support economic growth and recovery. gramme of Action for African Economic Recovery and On 5 October,(18) the Trade and Development Development 1986-1990 in the agendas of their forthcoming Board adopted a set of agreed conclusions regarding meetings and to report as soon as possible, at the latest UNCTAD'S contribution to UNPAAERD and asked the by 31 July 1988, on both the outcome of their delibera- tions on the matter and their contributions in support UNCTAD Secretary-General to take them fully into of the implementation of the Programme of Action since account in implementing UNPAAERD; it supported its adoption, to the Ad Hoc Committee of the Whole of his efforts to mobilize resources to enable UNCTAD the General Assembly on the Review and Appraisal of to play its role in implementing UNPAAERD in the the United Nations Programme of Action for African remaining two years. The Board called on States, Economic Recovery and Development 1986-1990; intergovernmental organizations and NGOs to con- 3. Invites all Governments to communicate in writ- tribute resources to support the UNCTAD ing to the Secretary-General as soon as possible, at the secretariat’s activities in implementing UNPAAERD. latest by 31 July 1988, their contributions and informa- tion on their efforts in support of the implementation Ad Hoc Committee of the Whole. In accord- of the Programme of Action since its adoption; ance with a 1987 General Assembly resolu- (19) 4. Invites intergovernmental and non-governmental tion, the Ad Hoc Committee of the Whole of organizations to report on their contributions, particu- the General Assembly on the Review and Ap- lar perspectives and efforts related to the implementa- praisal of UNPAAERD met in New York from 15 tion of the Programme of Action and to make specific to 23 September 1988.(20) Arrangements for the recommendations on further measures that need to be Ad Hoc Committee’s meetings were outlined in a taken, for submission to the Ad Hoc Committee. resolution and two decisions of the Economic Economic and Social Council resolution 1988/1 and Social Council (see below). The Council had 5 February 1988 Meeting 4 Adopted without vote (21) had before it a note by the Secretary-General, Draft by Somalia, for African States (E/1988/L.14), orally revised; agenda outlining some considerations with regard to item 3. Meeting numbers. ESC 3, 4. possible documentation for the Ad Hoc Commit- tee. The Committee established two working The Council, in May, adopted decision 1988/148 groups which held informal meetings, one on the without vote. critical economic situation in Africa and the problems and constraints facing Africa’s devel- Arrangements for the meeting of the Ad Hoc Committee of the Whole of the General opment efforts, and the other on the response of Assembly on the Review and Appraisal of the the international community, including the United Nations Programme of Action for African United Nations system, and its commitment to Economic Recovery and Development 1986-1990 support and complement Africa’s efforts. The At its 17th plenary meeting, on 27 May 1988, the Eco- Committee recommended a draft resolution on nomic and Social Council decided on the following ar- Economic assistance, disasters and emergency relief 365 rangements for the meeting of the Ad Hoc Committee System, and its Commitment to Support and of the Whole of the General Assembly on the Review Complement Africa’s Efforts; and Appraisal of the United Nations Programme of Ac- (b) That the Ad Hoc Committee, scheduled to meet tion for African Economic Recovery and Development from 6 to 19 September 1988, should be rescheduled to 1986-1990: meet from 12 to 23 September 1988; (a) The Bureau should be constituted at the highest (c) That the general discussion in the Ad Hoc Com- possible level and be composed of a Chairman, three mittee should not exceed two working days and that Vice-Chairmen and a Rapporteur; Governments should bear that in mind in preparing for (b) The provisional agenda for the Ad Hoc Commit- the review and appraisal; tee of the Whole should be as follows: (d) That the final outcome of the review and ap- (i), Opening of the session; praisal should preferably consist of a single document. Election of officers; Economic and Social Council decision 1988/154 (iii) Adoption of the agenda; Adopted without vote Organization of work; (iv) Draft by Vice-President (E/1998/L.36/Rev.1), based on informal consultations; (v) Mid-term review and appraisal of the United Na- agenda item 4. tions Programme of Action for African Economic Financial implications. S-G, E/1988/L.37. Recovery and Development 1986-1990; Meeting numbers. ESC 31, 33, 37. (vi) Adoption of the report of the Ad Hoc Committee of the Whole to the General Assembly at its forty- GENERAL ASSEMBLY ACTION third session; On 18 November, the General Assembly (c) The Ad Hoc Committee of the Whole, in carry- adopted resolution 43/27 without vote. ing out its mandate, should submit its findings to the General Assembly and propose concrete measures and Mid-term review and appraisal of the recommendations for the full implementation of the implementation of the United Nations United Nations Programme of Action for African Eco- Programme of Action for African Economic nomic Recovery and Development 1986-1990 within the Recovery and Development 1986-1990 agreed time-frame; The General Assembly, (d) Invitations to attend the meeting should be sent Recalling its resolution S-13/2 of 1 June 1986, the annex to the relevant organs, organizations and bodies of the to which contains the United Nations Programme of United Nations system and concerned non- Action for African Economic Recovery and Develop- governmental organizations in consultative status with ment 1986-1990, the Economic and Social Council, as well as interested Recalling also its resolution 42/163 of 8 December 1987, intergovernmental organizations and other non- Emphasizing that the African economic crisis is one that governmental organizations concerned; concerns the international community as a whole and (e) Member States should be represented at the that the accelerated implementation of the Programme highest possible level; of Action requires further effective action by all parties (f) The proceedings of the Ad Hoc Committee of the concerned, Whole should be governed by the rules of procedure of Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General on the General Assembly. the mid-term review of the implementation of the Pro- gramme of Action, Economic and Social Council decision 1988/148 Taking note of the mid-term assessment of the im- Adopted without vote plementation of the Programme of Action, prepared by Draft by Vice-President (E/1988/L.30), based on informal consultations: the Permanent Steering Committee of the Organization a agenda item 5. of African Unity at its fourteenth ordinary session, Meeting numbers. ESC 11, 17. Taking note also of the contribution made by individual Governments, intergovernmental organizations and In further action, the Council, in July, adopted non-governmental organizations to the work of the Ad decision 1988/154 without vote. Hoc Committee of the Whole of the General Assembly on the Review and Appraisal of the United Nations Pro- Arrangements for the mid-term review gramme of Action for African Economic Recovery and and appraisal of the United Nations Development 1986-1990, Programme of Action for African Economic Taking note further of the report of the Ad Hoc Commit- Recovery and Development 1986-1990 tee of the Whole, At its 37th plenary meeting, on 25 July 1988, the Eco- 1. Adopts the conclusions of the mid-term review and nomic and Social Council, pursuant to its decision appraisal of the implementation of the United Nations 1988/148 of 27 May 1988, decided: Programme of Action for African Economic Recovery (a) That the Ad Hoc Committee of the Whole of the and Development 1986-1990, consisting of an assessment General Assembly on the Review and Appraisal of the of the responses and measures to accelerate the im- United Nations Programme of Action for African Eco- plementation of the Programme of Action, as set forth nomic Recovery and Development 1986-1990 should es- in the annex to the present resolution; tablish the following two working groups: 2. Decides to conduct a final review and appraisal of (i) Working Group on the Critical Economic Situ- the implementation of the Programme of Action at its ation in Africa and the Problems and Constraints forty-sixth session. facing Africa’s Development Efforts; (ii) Working Group on the Response of the Interna- tional Community, including the United Nations aA/43/596. 366 Economic and social questions

ANNEX nomic development of genuine peace and security, as Mid-term review and appraisal of the United Nations well as of the strengthening of international co- Programme of Action for African Economic Recovery operation. and Development 1986-1990 and recommendations for the acceleration of its implementation 7. The review of measures taken to implement the Programme of Action demonstrates that most African I. Introduction countries have adopted significant policy reforms to im- 1. The United Nations Programme of Action for prove the overall management of their economies. The African Economic Recovery and Development 1986- determination with which African countries are pursu- 1990, which was adopted by the General Assembly in ing and strengthening these reforms is courageous and response to the critical economic situation in Africa, is commendable, particularly since in many countries such based on mutual commitment and co-operation between measures involve severe social costs and political risks. Africa and the international community. Many countries have also faced continuing climatic 2. In the Programme of Action, Africa committed problems and natural calamities. The political will itself to launch long-term programmes for self-sustaining demonstrated by African countries and the commend- socio-economic development and growth. The interna- able reform and policy reorientation measures that have tional community committed itself to assisting Africa been put in place should be sustained. Appropriate re- in achieving this objective. forms should be embarked upon by those countries that have not yet initiated the process. The Governments of 3. The African countries committed themselves to African countries should also play a key role in the pro- giving priority attention to necessary economic reform cess of co-ordination of external assistance. as mentioned in Africa’s Priority Programme for Eco- 8. For its part, the international community has nomic Recovery 1986-1990 adopted by the Assembly of taken important initiatives in support of the African ef- Heads of State and Government of the Organization forts, through the Special Programme of Assistance of of African Unity at its twenty-first ordinary session, held the World Bank, the Enhanced Structural Adjustment at Addis Ababa from 18 to 20 July 1985, as a basis for Facility of the International Monetary Fund and new broad-based, sustained economic development; the re- bilateral aid commitments. Resource commitments to habilitation and development of agriculture; other sec- Africa for the years 1988-1990 will increase and disburse- tors supportive of agriculture; measures to combat ments will assist countries implementing reforms. Fur- drought and desertification; and the efficient develop- thermore, the international community has declared its ment and utilization of human resources. intention to continue to support the efforts of African 4. The international community recognized that the Governments to implement the Programme of Action. economic recovery and development efforts of African 9. The reform and restructuring that are being un- countries must be supplemented by complementary ac- dertaken by African countries and the ongoing initia- tion on its part through intensified co-operation and sub- tives taken by the international community thus con- stantially increased support. It also realized that last- stitute an important beginning. However, the overall ing solutions to the serious exogenous constraints, over performance of the African economies remains unsatis- which Africa has no control, will have to be found, since factory. Despite earnest efforts to carry out adjustments their persistence will impede the efforts of the African in their national economic policies, most African coun- countries. It therefore committed itself to making every tries have found little reprieve from the harsh impact effort to provide sufficient resources to support and sup- of climatic conditions and an unfavourable external eco- plement the African development effort. The interna- nomic environment. Internal constraints, and the ad- tional community further appreciated that Africa’s ef- verse impact of exogenous factors to which African econ- forts would be greatly facilitated if flows of external omies are highly susceptible, are impeding the reform resources were predictable and assured and if the qual- process and are severely hampering African devel- ity and modality of external assistance and co-operation opment. were improved. It also recognized that, to bring about 10. Dealing with the African crisis is a priority con- an improvement in the external economic environment, cern for the international community and the United the international community should address and exam- Nations. It is therefore a matter of urgency that the ine the external factors that aggravate the African situ- promising actions that have been taken by all parties ation, especially in terms of trade and the need to deal concerned to implement the Programme of Action urgently with commodity issues and alleviate Africa’s should be strengthened and accelerated. Sustained and debt burden. The Programme of Action equally empha- unfaltering efforts made by African countries must be sizes the importance for the international community matched by substantial and urgent efforts by the inter- to increase official development assistance to African national community to provide support to them at the countries and to improve its quality and effectiveness. required levels and to create an international environ- 5. The Programme of Action provides an important ment favourable to the process of reform and restruc- framework for co-operation between Africa and the in- turing. ternational community, and all parties wish to reaffirm their commitment to the Programme of Action. The II. Assessment of the implementation of the continuing gravity of the economic situation in Africa United Nations Programme of Action for African requires that all partners take urgent and decisive ac- Economic Recovery and Development 1986-1990 tions to accelerate and ensure the effective implemen- A. Response of African countries tation of the Programme of Action during its remain- 11. The Programme of Action was designed and ing period. adopted to provide an important framework for co- 6. In the Programme of Action, the international operation between Africa and the international commu- community recognized the importance to African eco- nity in fostering economic recovery and development Economic assistance, disasters and emergency relief 367 on the African continent. The continuing gravity of the to the economic recovery and development of the con- economic situation in Africa requires that all partners tinent and that the efficient utilization of these resources take urgent and decisive actions to accelerate-and en- should become a major objective of their national poli- sure the effective implementation of the Programme of cies. Since the adoption of the Programme of Action, Action during its remaining term. the majority of African countries have put particular em- phasis on formulating national literacy and vocational 1. Agricultural development training programmes, elaborating information systems, 12. Agriculture, on which more than 75 per cent of setting up project appraisal machinery and, in certain Africa’s people depend for their livelihood, has been a cases, improving educational systems. Adapting train- major area of sectoral reform. More countries have given ing and educational systems to the development objec- higher priority to channelling resources to agriculture, tives of the Programme of Action is difficult, among with the particular aim of making progress towards food other reasons, because of budgetary constraints. security and achieving increased agricultural production. 17. African countries have also adopted measures to As regards export crops, almost all countries have im- promote the effective participation of the population in plemented price incentive measures, and some have the development process. In so doing, they have put par- adopted measures to liberalize marketing policies, to in- ticular emphasis on the role of African women, not only crease the share of the export value retained by farmers as beneficiaries but also as agents of development. How- and to bring prices into line with world market levels. ever, as underlined in the Khartoum Declaration, A large number of African countries have instituted a adopted on 8 March 1988 by the International Confer- wide Lange of measures to mitigate food emergencies. ence on the Human Dimension of Africa’s Economic Approximately half the countries in the region now have Recovery and Development,b internal and external various types of national emergency preparedness mecha- constraints may counter the efforts undertaken by Africa nisms, about eighteen countries have early warning systems to fully develop its human resources, especially in the and many have set up national food security arrangements. high-priority fields of health and education. 13. The efforts of African countries to ensure food 18. Particular attention has been paid by some Afri- self-sufficiency and to increase their exports have been can countries to their population policies on the basis hindered, among other things, by the following factors: of the Kilimanjaro Programme of Action for African The recurrence and persistence of such phenomena (a) Population and Self-Reliant Development, adopted by as drought, locust infestation and floods; the Second African Population Conference and endorsed (b) The decline of international commodity prices at by the Economic Commission for Africa in 1984. A a time when African Governments raised prices for growing number of countries are putting in place na- producers; tional policies designed to harmonize population growth (c) Competition from food exports that benefit from with economic and environmental capacities, and for- all kinds of direct or indirect support measures; mulating specific policies and action plans to address (d) The inflow of lower-priced agricultural products population issues in a long-run development perspec- concurrently with the adoption by many African Govern- tive. Effective implementation of these policies, however, ments of import liberalization policies. still faces immense problems, which include a lack of 2. Other sectors in support of agriculture resources, in particular trained personnel, and a low level 14. To enhance agricultural development, attention of public support. Future efforts must focus on over- has been given to the rehabilitation and maintenance of coming these problems. infrastructure that supports agriculture. In particular, 5. Policy reforms emphasis has been placed on the production of agricul- 19. Since the adoption of the Programme of Action, tural tools, small-scale irrigation equipment, fertilizer, most African countries have adopted significant policy pesticides and other chemicals. Within the general con- reforms to improve the overall management of their straint of scarce foreign exchange, efforts have been made economies. About thirty countries are undertaking to modernize, rehabilitate and expand food-processing stabilization or structural adjustment programmes in and other agro-based industries. Inadequate transpor- conjunction with the World Bank and the International tation facilities also remain a critical bottle-neck in many Monetary Fund. These efforts are intended to improve countries. Similarly, the agro-based manufacturing sector economic performance, bring about accelerated recov- has stagnated or grown only marginally. ery within the context of the Programme of Action and 3. Drought and desertification lay the foundation for self-sustaining growth and devel- 15. African countries are determined to reduce the opment. effects of drought and desertification. The measures taken 20. The determination with which most African to that effect include the development of water sources, countries are pursuing and strengthening economic the building of small dams and the development of renew- policy reforms is courageous and commendable, par- able sources of energy to replace fuelwood. Despite cy- ticularly since in many countries such measures involve clones, floods and other calamities. the countries affected social costs and political risks. However, reforms have are resolutely determined to pursue activities to com- not been adopted-by all Governments; nor are they being bat drought and desertification. Overall, the African coun- pursued with equal vigour in all countries. Policy re- tries are determined to fight against every new threat to form takes time to have a demonstrable impact on eco- their environment, including the dumping of industrial nomic performance. Available data on the achievement or toxic waste in the continent. of structural adjustment programmes, while incomplete, suggest that economic reform is beginning to make a 4. Human resources 16. African Governments have always considered that human resources development and planning are key bA/43/430. 368 Economic and social questions positive impact in a number of countries. Nevertheless, mains unsatisfactory Domestic structural problems and in some other countries the impact remains to be fully adverse exogenous developments, to which the African felt,, and the overall economic situation in Africa remains countries are highly susceptible, have complicated the critical. However, there is no doubt that improvement reform process by restraining overall economic growth. of the economic situation requires that appropriate re- In certain cases, weaknesses in the management and co- form policies and programmes be vigorously im- ordination of external assistance at the level of recip- plemented and sustained, taking into account the need ient countries and of bilateral and multilateral assistance to improve them continuously. agencies had led to delays in the disbursement and utili- 21. Most African Governments have instituted policy zation of external resources already available. reforms aimed at economic structural transformation 24. Domestic impediments include the effects of and improvement of the overall management of their recurrent drought and other natural calamities such as economies, especially in the following areas: (a) public cyclones, floods and locust and grasshopper infestation investment management systems, institutions and prac- in some areas, infrastructural and institutional deficien- tices; (b) public enterprises; (c) reform of public serv- cies, marketing problems, low capacity for domestic re- ices to make them more oriented towards achieving na- source mobilization, strong dependency of export in- tional development goals; (d) lowering of budget deficits come on a limited number of commodities, excessive and reduction and redirection of public expenditure; (e) dependence on imports of consumer goods and produc- mobilization of domestic saving and increase in invest- tion inputs, human resources and population factors, ment; (f) financial and debt management; (g) reduction refugee flows, shortage of skilled labour and armed con- and reversal, where possible, of foreign exchange leak- flicts. The external constraints include weak demand for age; (h) encouragement of the role of the productive pri- African exports, low commodity prices, inadequate and vate sector and market forces in the efficient allocation stagnating foreign real resource flows, and a high debt of resources; and (i) promotion of foreign trade in and debt-servicing burden. Indeed, these constraints, general and intra-African trade in particular. coupled with natural calamities, continue to be major 22. Experience in the implementation of stabiliza- obstacles to economic recovery and development in the tion or structural adjustment programmes currently in- region. stituted has revealed substantial concerns to African Governments, bilateral donors, multilateral financial in- 25. In southern Africa, the situation continues to stitutions and non-governmental organizations, notably: be adversely affected by the policies of political and eco- (a) African Governments need to play the central role nomic destabilization and acts of aggression pursued by in the design and formulation of structural adjustment the South African régime against the front-line and programmes, including the development of “policy neighbouring States. The violence inherent in the sys- framework papers”; tem of apartheid has resulted in loss of human lives, the (b) Projections of financial flows, including export destruction of social and economic infrastructures, the earnings, have often been overly optimistic; diversion of substantial resources and efforts away from (c) The short-term adjustment or stabilization tar- economic development to defence spending, the disrup- gets of structural adjustment programmes should be in- tion of economic development and an increase in refu- tegrated with long-term development objectives; gees and displaced persons throughout the region. The (d) The importance attached to macro-economic in- United Nations has estimated that losses for the mem- dicators should not obscure the need to pay adequate ber countries of the Southern African Development Co- attention to institutional, social and sectoral factors that ordination Conference for the period 1980-1986 are critical to the structural transformation of African amounted to 25 billion to 30 billion United States dol- economies. Supply responses are only partly tied to rela- lars. These factors have been the main reasons for the tive price levels. Market liberalization involves more than sharp decline of economic growth and have consequently just the removal of controls. Strategies of sequencing, undermined development efforts in the region, includ- timing and complex institutional restructuring are crit- ing the implementation of the Programme of Action. ical to the success of market reform in Africa; (e) To avoid straining the social, cultural and polit- 6. Implementation at the regional and subregional levels ical framework and to be credible and sustainable, struc- 26. At the regional and subregional levels, a num- tural adjustment programmes must be designed so as ber of concrete actions have been taken to promote to be sensitive to the internal conditions of the coun- recovery and development, in particular, as related to tries concerned. In implementing expenditure reductions the formulation and implementation of joint pro- as part of adjustment efforts, care should be taken to grammes in the key economic sectors and the strength- ensure that such reductions, especially those in basic ening of mechanisms for these efforts. The search for health, nutrition, education and other social services are agreements between neighbouring countries on food not made in areas where they would worsen the situa- supplies aimed at ensuring a better complementarity be- tion of the poorest and most vulnerable groups; tween surplus and deficit zones has progressed. Other (f) Realignment of exchange rates and rises in important actions have included the establishment of producers’ prices have not always generated the full ex- regional networks for crop protection and of mechanisms pected benefits because of structural rigidities that con- for co-operation among national early warning systems. tinue to characterize the current stage of development In 1987 and 1988, a number of key intra-African con- of most African countries. In part this has occurred be- ferences were convened to review and promote the im- cause African countries have not had the human and plementation of the Programme of Action. The major financial resources fully to address these rigidities. constraints on subregional and regional co-operation 23. In spite of all the measures taken, the overall have been associated with infrastructural bottle-necks performance of the economies of African countries re- and scarce external financial support to date. Economic assistance, disasters and emergency relief 369

B. Response of the international community 85 million dollars in 1986. Those new multilateral flows, supported by bilateral donors, constitute a major new 1. Response of other countries commitment of resources to Africa in support of the con- (a) Resource flows tinent’s efforts to achieve sustainable and growth- 27. In support of the goals of the Programme of Ac- oriented development. Many parties, in particular the tion, the international community has made commit- African countries, have expressed dissatisfaction with ments to provide an increased level of financial assistance the methods by which conditionality for adjustment are to African countries, both bilaterally and multilaterally. developed. Efforts are under way to increase the par- Net resource flows to Africa increased from 17.9 billion ticipation of all parties to resolve those differences and dollars in 1985 to 19.9 billion dollars in 1986 and 22.9 such efforts should be reinforced. billion dollars in 1987 in nominal terms. However, meas- 30. The contribution of resources has been largely ured in real terms, resource flows were lower in 1986 undermined by the growth in debt-service obligations and 1987 than in 1985. and the decrease in export earnings, resulting in a 28. Official development assistance has been a marked deterioration of the external financial position steady and vital source of funding for Africa, account- of many African countries. Various estimates have been ing for over 73 per cent of net resource flows to the re- made of Africa’s external resource requirements. The gion. Total bilateral disbursements of development as- Advisory Group on Financial Flows to Africa, which, sistance to African countries remained relatively contrary to its mandate, considered the needs of only constant in real terms in 1986 and 1987. Many donors sub-Saharan Africa excluding Nigeria, estimated the re- made substantial increases in their bilateral assistance quirements to be at least 5 billion dollars per annum to African countries. Official development assistance re- above their level in 1986-1987. Other estimates differ ported by the member countries of the Development As- from that, depending on the country coverage, assump- sistance Committee of the Organisation for Economic tions and methodology used, but in general suggest that Co-operation and Development, the Organization of assistance flows should be increased in support of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and the multilateral in- Programme of Action. Increased flows should be forth- stitutions increased in current dollars. In sub-Saharan coming within the period of the Programme of Action Africa, it rose from 11.7 billion dollars in 1986 to 13.3 when disbursements from new multilateral initiatives billion dollars in 1987, but that reflects no increase when and bilateral commitments are fully implemented. measured at 1986 prices and exchange rates. Accord- (b) Trade and commodities ing to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and 31. In many parts of the developing world and in Development, export credits to sub-Saharan Africa are Africa in particular, the recent growth of the global econ- estimated to have fallen from 0.8 million dollars in 1985 omy has not yet resulted in a gathering of momentum to 0.4 million dollars in 1986 and to 0 in 1987. The in the development process. Most African countries have limited data available suggest that other private com- found it difficult to increase their export earnings, al- mercial flows remained unchanged. Member countries though those earnings are a critical factor in their eco- of the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance con- nomic recovery and development. Protectionism re- tinued their economic assistance to Africa. mains a constraint to efforts by African countries to 29. The multilateral institutions, with the support expand their trade. Non-tariff measures against exports of bilateral donors, are playing an important role in in- from African countries, some of which are applied ternational efforts to increase financial flows to Africa. progressively to processed commodities, are an impedi- Disbursement from the International Development As- ment to the expansion of the region’s exports. There sociation rose from 0.9 billion dollars in fiscal year 1985 remains scope for dismantling the non-tariff barriers that to 1.2 billion dollars in 1986 and 1.6 billion dollars in impede access by African countries to the markets of 1987. The World Bank initiated a Special Programme industrialized countries. The Uruguay Round of multi- of Assistance for the low-income heavily indebted Afri- lateral trade negotiations, agreed upon since the adop- can countries that combines additional disbursement tion of the Programme of Action, will provide an op- from the International Development Association with portunity to address some of the difficulties that Africa additional co-financing by bilateral donors. It is esti- faces in the area of international trade. mated that the programme will increase resource flows 32. In spite of the recent improvement in some com- to sub-Saharan Africa by about 3 billion dollars over modity prices, Africa’s financial problems have been ag- the period 1988-1990. In 1986 and 1987, there was a sub- gravated by the continuing decline of many commodity stantial net transfer of resources from Africa to the In- prices. Moreover, those prices continue to be at histori- ternational Monetary Fund. In response to the economic cally very low levels. This has been induced by a com- situation in African countries, the Fund undertook plex array of market forces, often beyond the control several initiatives. In particular, its members reached of African countries. A majority of these countries de- agreement on an Enhanced Structural Adjustment Fa- pend on no more than three export commodities for the cility that will increase the concessional resources avail- bulk of their foreign exchange earnings, which serve as able to low-income countries by 6 billion special draw- the principal source of external resources for develop- ing rights over the period 1988-1990. The African ment. Africa’s total commodity earnings fell by 18 bil- Development Bank reached agreement on a trebling of lion dollars in 1986 and in 1987 remained below their its authorized capital and on a 50-per-cent increase in 1985 level. It was agreed in the Programme of Action the African Development Fund. That has enabled it to to deal urgently with commodity issues in the frame- increase commitments from 2 billion dollars in 1984- work of an overall approach taking into account the spe- 1985 to 3.8 billion dollars in 1986-1987. Net disburse- cial interests of the African countries. The matter was ments by the International Fund for Agricultural De- discussed at the seventh session of the United Nations velopment increased from 50 million dollars in 1983 to Conference on Trade and Development. Changing 370 Economic and social questions global conditions have contributed to Africa’s signifi- and the excessive duration of the rescheduling process cant losses in foreign exchange from falling export earn- itself. ings; this problem can be addressed only through a long- 37. Africa’s continuing search for solutions to the prob- term and overall approach, including efforts to increase lems of its external indebtedness prompted African Govern- the capacity of African countries to process, market, dis- ments to hold an extraordinary summit meeting at Addis tribute and transport non-traditional exports. Moreover, Ababa from 30 November to 1 December 1987 devoted there has been an overall deterioration in the terms of to Africa’s external debt. This meeting resulted in the trade of sub-Saharan African countries. Over the short adoption of Africa’s common position on external indebt- and medium terms, a major sustained improvement in edness. The economic summit meeting of the seven largest commodity prices is not expected. However, aid, debt- industrialized countries, held at Toronto from 19 to 21 relief and direct foreign investment can only supplement June 1988,c addressed Africa’s debt and development trade in that respect. problems. The summit achieved consensus on rescheduling 33. Existing arrangements to provide compensatory official debt of the poorest developing countries that are financing for shortfalls in commodity earnings, such as undertaking internationally approved adjustment pro- the Stabex and Sysmin arrangements of the European grammes, allowing official creditors to choose among Economic Community and the Compensatory Financ- several options. The likely overall impact of these measures ing Facility of the International Monetary Fund, have is difficult to quantify because it is not clear yet what been important but insufficient in themselves to deal the total amount of relief would be. It is the shared respon- with the magnitude and nature of the difficulties that sibility of all parties concerned to develop lasting and Africa faces in commodity export markets. The speedy durable solutions to the problems of Africa’s external in- activation of the Common Fund for Commodities, in debtedness. particular, its Second Account, may help to overcome (d) Quality and modalities of external assistance these difficulties. The new Compensatory and Contin- 38. Some progress has been made in improving the gency Financing Facility of the International Monetary quality and modalities of external assistance, notably Fund will also be available to help to offset fluctuations by improving the quality of bilateral flows; increasing in export earnings for those countries that are able to the pace of disbursement; increasing the concessional- meet the conditions for its use. ity of assistance; and strengthening the co-ordination (c) Debt of donor programmes, notably through the expansion 34. The external indebtedness of African countries and improvement of consultative groups and United Na- has become one of the important factors constraining tions Development Programme round-table meetings recovery and development in the continent, since debt and through the introduction of “policy framework servicing draws substantially on scarce financial papers”. Nevertheless, considerable scope remains for resources that otherwise could be used for development future improvement, particularly in relation to quick purposes in the region. Debt service obligations were disbursement, wherever appropriate. equivalent to 29 per cent of export earnings in 1985, (e) Structural adjustment programmes 43 per cent in 1986 and 39 per cent in 1987. Debt serv- 39. An important consideration relates to the de- ice payments in these years were equivalent to 29 per velopmental framework within which external assistance cent, 29 per cent and 25 per cent of export earnings re- is provided. The implementation of structural adjust- spectively. ment programmes has given rise to general concerns, 35. The economic situation of many of the coun- such as human, social and political consequences, as well tries of the region and their low levels of income make as long-term financing needs for Africa’s economic the debt burden particularly heavy. Most outstanding recovery and development efforts. These concerns have debt is to official bilateral and multilateral agencies. resulted in a dialogue on the nature and content of ad- These agencies have responded with a number of ini- justment programmes. This has led to greater under- tiatives to lighten the debt burden, particularly of the standing and increased awareness of the need to ensure low-income African countries. Efforts have also been in- that such programmes form an integral part of a longer- itiated to address the debt problems of African middle- term strategy for economic growth, incorporate a human income countries. The economic recovery and develop- dimension and do not have an adverse impact on vul- ment of Africa calls for continued efforts in this area. nerable groups and would take due account of the 36. A number of bilateral donors have converted specific economic situation and national development official development assistance loans to some African priorities of each country. This is now being reflected countries into grants-a process that began in 1978. in actions by African Governments and donor agencies. Conversions to date affect only one sixth of Africa’s offi- 40. The efforts of the African countries to achieve cial development assistance debt but cover more than sustained growth and development through structural half of that of the least developed countries of the re- reform are seriously constrained by the adverse exter- gion. Commitments have been made by a number of nal environment as it relates to the situation in Africa, donors to make further conversions, and proposals have in particular, with respect to export earnings, the debt been made to further reduce the stock of debt. Progress service burden and concessional finance. has been made in providing lengthened grace and matu- 2. Response of the United Nations system rity periods in rescheduling in the Paris Club. 41. The organizations of the United Nations system Rescheduling does not reduce the stock of debt. were invited to attach high priority to Africa in their Proposals are under discussion to provide additional re- global operations, taking into account the priorities of lief. African countries have expressed three concerns re- the Programme of Action. These organizations are now garding the process of rescheduling: the lack of a medium-term and long-term perspective; rescheduling terms that are not adapted to debtors’ capacity to pay; cA/43/435-S/19974. Economic assistance, disasters and emergency relief 371 devoting more than 35 per cent of their resources to III. Measures for accelerating the implementation Africa, with expenditures amounting to more than 1 bil- of the United Nations Programme of Action for lion dollars annually. African Economic Recovery and Development 1986-1990 42. The Secretary-General has taken important ac- A. Role of the African countries tions to sensitize the international community to the seri- ous economic situation in Africa, to ensure a co- 1. Agricultural development ordinated response by the United Nations system to the 45. In the course of implementing the Programme implementation of the Programme of Action and to of Action, African countries should continue to concen- monitor and report on the implementation of the Pro- trate their efforts on agriculture and its supporting sec- gramme of Action. Although the contributions of the tors, the rehabilitation and development of agro-industries, organizations of the United Nations system were diver- the light against drought, desertification and pests, and sified and useful, they were, however, insufficient. In on the other sectoral priorities identified in the Programme. view of the deterioration in Africa’s financial situation 46. It is important that development programmes after the Programme of Action was adopted, the give due recognition to the factors critical to increased Secretary-General appointed a high-level *Advisory agricultural production. These factors include investment Grout on Financial Flows to Africa: its report was is- in appropriate technology, research and development and sued in February 1988. The Secretary-General also es- agricultural inputs. African countries should intensify tablished a United Nations Steering Committee with their efforts to establish early warning systems and na- the participation of all relevant bodies of the United Na- tional food security arrangements, diversify exports, im- tions to co-ordinate and monitor their response to the prove export performance and maintain the incomes of Programme of Action. In addition, an inter-agency task farmers at appropriate levels. force, which acts as the operational arm of the Steering 47. The traditional role of women as producers of Committee, has been established under the chairman- a significant proportion of food should be protected and ship of the Executive Secretary of the Economic Com- strengthened when new agricultural production methods mission for Africa. are introduced. More attention must be given to ensure 3. South-South co-operation that women have access to agricultural extension serv- 43. Progress in co-operation between African coun- ices, credit, land titles and, not least, new technologies. tries and other developing countries has been registered 2. Other sectors in support of agriculture in a number of areas, such as trade, finance, technol- 48. Increased attention and financial resources should ogy and technical assistance. Some countries have con- be directed to the rehabilitation and maintenance of tributed through bilateral assistance and programmes productive infrastructures in the sectors that support of technical co-operation among developing countries. agriculture, including transport and communications. In the field of trade, the first round of negotiations of Emphasis should continue to be placed on the produc- the global system of trade preferences among develop- tion of agricultural tools, small-scale irrigation equip- ing countries was completed at the ministerial meeting ment, spare parts, fertilizers, pesticides and other chemicals. on the Global System of Trade Preferences among De- Greater attention should be given to rehabilitating, mod- veloping Countries of the Group of Seventy-seven held ernizing and expanding food-processing and other agro- at Belgrade from 11 to 13 April 1988. The participants based industries, by mobilizing the resources needed as in the global system signed a contractual document that well as providing training and credit in rural areas and seeks to facilitate their trade relations. The potential for promoting entrepreneurial development programmes. South-South co-operation is considerable, and every ef- fort should be made by the international community to 3. Drought and desertification support the expansion and intensification of such co- 49. The environment and natural resources should operation. become important considerations in development co- operation. Environmental activities must go hand in hand 4. Non-governmental organizations with efforts to enhance economic growth and combat pov- 44. Most non-governmental organizations, both erty, as there is a clear link between economic well-being African and non-African, are contributing to Africa’s and the quality of the environment. Better management economic recovery and development through effective of the natural resource base is a major factor in moving programmes at the grass-roots level. Significant towards sustainable development. Action should be in- resources are mobilized by non-governmental organi- tensified to improve the economic situation and combat zations, from both the general public and official aid more effectively environmental degradation arising, in institutions, for economic and social projects and pro- particular, from drought, desertification, deforestation, grammes as well as for humanitarian activities. These floods, locust and grasshopper infestation and the dumping efforts support the goals of the Programme of Action of toxic and industrial wastes. and deserve to be commended. One development has been the emergence and growing presence of the com- 4. Human resources munity of indigenous African non-governmental organi- 50. Since many internal constraints are linked to weak- zations as important actors in Africa’s development ef- nesses in education, training and management systems fort. They are engaging in closer dialogue with African and since human resources play a key role in the long- Governments, official development agencies and non- term development prospects of the continent, the effec- African non-governmental organizations in order fur- tive development and utilization of human resources of ther to clarify and define their own role in Africa’s recov- the region must be made a major objective of national ery and development. They are contributing their own policy. In consequence, the African countries should place experience to the implementation of development poli- greater emphasis on population policies and programmes, cies, especially those oriented towards the poorest groups. including the Kilimanjaro Programme of Action. 372 Economic and social questions

51. The participation of people in the recovery and (iii) Provision of compensatory programmes to min- development process should continue to be broadened imize the adverse effects of redeployment of and made more effective, particularly through promot- labour and the social costs of adjustment to the ing increased access to development resources and poor; benefits, creating favourable conditions for decentral- (iv) Social infrastructure and human resource devel- ized decision-making, encouraging greater entre- opment, including environmental, cultural and preneurship at all levels and promoting individual ini- political concerns; tiative and private enterprise. (v) A pragmatic approach to the respective roles of 52. African countries and their development part- the public and private sectors; ners should give particular importance to human (b) Social indicators need to be developed to moni- resources development, especially by integrating the tor the impact of these programmes on the population; human dimension in the design and implementation of (c) African countries should increase their efforts in structural adjustment programmes. As stated in the Pro- the search for a viable conceptual and practical frame- gramme of Action, the role and contribution of women work for economic structural adjustment programmes in the development process are of crucial importance. in keeping with the long-term development objectives However, women often remain at the periphery of eco- and strategies at the national, subregional and regional nomic systems and decision-making processes. There levels; is thus an urgent need to strengthen the participation (d) It is essential that the process of reform be im- of women in all areas of the economy and at all levels plemented as soon as possible by those countries that of development planning and implementation. More- have not yet done so and sustained and supported by over, African countries should allocate substantial those that have already started it. resources to make it possible for women to participate 6. Trade more fully as active economic agents in development 56. African countries need to make special efforts programmes, especially in rural areas. in order to make African products more competitive in 5. Policy reforms international markets, and to adopt appropriate poli- 53. African countries should continue to pursue the cies and reinforce mechanisms to expand and diversify balanced development of all sectors of their economy. their exports. Particular attention should be given to domestic eco- 57. Decisions on diversification are primarily the nomic management, the effective mobilization and utili- responsibility of African countries. These decisions zation of domestic resources, in particular through the should take into account the agricultural, industrial and encouragement of savings, and action to contain or re- other development objectives. Horizontal and vertical verse capital flight with the support of the international diversification of their economies, as well as increased community and to provide an environment conducive participation in the processing, marketing and distri- to direct investment. Special attention should be given bution of their commodities are long-term development to the rationalization of public investment policies, the objectives towards which African countries need to make development and effective implementation of appropri- further efforts in the context of intensified international ate human resources and population policies, industrial co-operation between producers and consumers. development, the improvement of international competi- 58. Adequate structures should be established or im- tiveness and the diversification of production. proved in order to promote the transfer, adoption, adap- 54. Structural adjustment programmes should be tation and the application of appropriate technologies, designed in such a way as to mitigate their adverse socio- the development of communication infrastructure and economic effects, ensure that the human dimension is the improvement of marketing networks and thus form integrated in them, further improve the well-being of a solid base for reinforcing the efficiency of exports. the poor and disadvantaged in African societies, nota- 59. African Governments should enhance their par- bly through redirecting social and developmental ticipation in all major international trade negotiations, expenditures, and make short-term stabilization and ad- notably the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negoti- justment measures compatible with and built into long- ations, so as to better achieve a reduction in tariff and term structural transformation. non-tariff barriers that have a negative impact on their 55. Bearing in mind that they have the central role ability to export. to play in the design and implementation of their ad- 7. Economic co-operation and integration justment programmes, African Governments, with the 60. For the effective implementation of the Pro- support of their development partners, should give par- gramme of Action, African countries should intensify ticular attention to the following so that adjustment pro- their efforts towards economic co-operation and integra- grammes are based on a realistic and pragmatic ap- tion in accordance with the objectives of the Lagos Plan proach of the problems of each country: of Action for the Implementation of the Monrovia (a) In designing economic structural adjustment pro- Strategy for the Economic Development of Africa, grammes, the following should be taken into account: adopted by the Assembly of Heads of State and Govern- (i) The need for adjustment programmes to be ment of the Organization of African Unity at its sec- realistic and consistent with projected financial ond extraordinary session, held at Lagos on 28 and 29 resources and the external and internal en- April 1980. Among the measures that should be taken vironment; are the following: (ii) Harmonization of the programme with long-term (a) Strengthening and rationalization of existing objectives and strategies, with particular, contin- subregional groupings, the creation, as appropriate, of ued emphasis on self-sustaining economic devel- new ones and their effective utilization for co-ordinated opment and growth; planning and development at the subregional level; Economic assistance, disasters and emergency relief 373

(b) Implementation of measures for the co- procedures, guidelines and formats for the procurement ordination of economic and social policies subregion- of equipment; ally, as well as for joint planning and development of (e) The co-ordination of donor programmes, under- multicountry projects in key economic sectors; taken in close co-operation with the recipient countries, (c) Promotion of intra-African trade in primary and should be improved further. The important role of the processed commodities; consultative groups and round-table meetings in this re- (d) Promotion of domestic policies that encourage the gard should be enhanced. movement of goods, skills and capital among the Afri- (b) Trade and commodities can countries. 64. An increase in Africa’s export earnings and a reduction in the adverse impact on African economies 8. Peace and stability of year-to-year fluctuations in those earnings would both 61. Every effort must be made to achieve political contribute to the attainment of sustained non- settlements of international and regional conflicts so that inflationary growth and assist African countries in their scarce resources can be directed towards economic recov- efforts to implement the Programme of Action. These ery and development. In this context, African countries improvements in export earnings would be facilitated should, with the support of the international commu- by an international environment more favourable to nity, intensify their efforts to end the acts of aggression African exports and by continued efforts to diversify and destabilization of the apartheid régime in South exports. Africa, which is the single most destructive form of con- 65. Particular attention should be given to the fol- flict in the region. lowing: B. Role of the international community (a) The mid-term review of the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations scheduled for December 1. Role of other countries 1988 should give a new impulse to the negotiations in (a) Resource flows the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, in which 62. Financial flows to Africa, in particular conces- the concerns of African countries should be given par- sional flows, should be increased substantially, especially ticular attention. All countries involved in the Uruguay to sub-Saharan African countries, and provided on a Round should endeavour to improve the international continuous, predictable, assured and fast-disbursing trading environment, particularly as it concerns Afri- basis, as appropriate. Such an increase in resources for can exports. This applies especially to measures affect- Africa would be facilitated if all developed countries al- ing processed and non-traditional exports because these located 0.7 per cent of their gross domestic product to offer the greatest hope for Africa to increase and diver- official development assistance. sify its export base in the longer run. There is need for 63. Most resource flows to Africa will continue to greater liberalization of trade in agricultural products, be provided through official bilateral assistance and by and special attention should be given to the provisions multilateral institutions, but flows of private capital of existing régimes concerning trade in tropical prod- should also be encouraged. The following actions are ucts of interest to African countries. In this connection, particularly relevant: the Uruguay Round should be used to develop improved (a) Donor countries, particularly those whose as- discipline and rules, addressing the problems of mar- sistance to Africa has decreased in the past two years ket access, subsidies that directly or indirectly affect trade or is at a low level, should aim to increase their official and the harmonization of health and sanitary standards; development assistance to Africa in real terms. These (b) Ongoing initiatives to make the Common Fund resources should be provided on a sustained and fast- for Commodities fully operational should be completed disbursing basis and directed to the priorities of recov- in the shortest possible time, bearing in mind that a ery and development; number of developmental programmes have already (b) Bilateral co-financing funds pledged under the been approved or considered by producers and con- World Bank’s Special Programme of Assistance for low- sumers, for possible financing under its Second Account; income, debt-distressed countries should be made avail- (c) Programmes for the stabilization of export earn- able as soon as possible, and donors should expedite the ings of African countries, along the lines of the Stabex disbursement of the resources that they have agreed to and Sysmin, should be considered by other countries; provide for this purpose; (d) The Compensatory and Contingency Financing (c) The agreed commitments to an increase in the Facility of the International Monetary Fund should have capital of the World Bank, to the fifth replenishment an enhanced role in responding to Africa’s short-term of the African Development Fund and to the eighth external contingency needs; replenishment of the International Development Associ- (e) Within the context of the Programme of Action, ation should be fulfilled without delay. In addition, the Secretary-General of the United Nations should con- negotiations on the third replenishment of the Interna- sult with the United Nations Conference on Trade and tional Fund for Agricultural Development should be Development, other relevant organizations and in- concluded promptly, and those on a ninth replenishment terested Governments with a view to establishing a group of the International Development Association should be of experts to undertake an in-depth assessment of the undertaken as soon as possible; question of African commodities and the scope for ex- (d) Efforts should be continued to improve the qual- port diversification. ity of bilateral flows, particularly through more rapid (c) External debt disbursement of assistance already pledged and in- 66. Many countries have taken measures to reduce creased concessionality, meeting the recurrent local costs the burden of Africa’s external debt, and such action of programmes and projects, using local equipment, in- should be continued, in order to limit the burden that digenous competence and expertise and improving debt imposes on recovery, reform and development of 374 Economic and social questions

the African countries. Debt rescheduling should be sup- should also be developed to provide early warning of plemented by other multilateral and bilateral measures. deteriorating human conditions. Every effort should be made by the international com- munity to find lasting, durable and growth-oriented so- 2. Economic co-operation and integration lutions that cover various categories of debt, various cre- 69. Special efforts should be made by the interna- ditors and various debtor countries and that respond to tional community to support ongoing efforts of African Africa’s development needs. Recognizing the major con- countries to strengthen co-operation and the rapid tribution that progress in this area would make to the achievement of economic integration in the region. In- success of the Programme of Action, ongoing initiatives, ternational assistance to national projects should be com- including those agreed upon at the economic summit plemented by greater support for regional and meeting held at Torontofrom 19 to 21 June 1988, should subregional projects, particularly in the priority sectors, be pursued urgently, with the following being taken into 3. Impact of destabilisation policies 4 South Africa account: 70. Recovery and development efforts in the coun- (a) Official bilateral debt tries of the southern African subregion continue to be (i) Non-concessional officially guaranteed debt and frustrated by acts of aggression and destabilization by debt-service payments of low-income African the South African regime. The international commu- countries should be rescheduled on more gener- nity as a whole should exert greater pressure on the apart- ous terms; heid régime to abolish its abhorrent policies and immedi- (ii) Creditor countries’ efforts to write off or other- ately stop its acts of destabilization and aggression in wise remove the burden of official development the region. In the absence of an end to these acts of assistance loans, inter alia by repayment in local destabilization, increased assistance should be given to currencies, of low-income countries pursuing the member countries of the Southern African Devel- structural adjustment programmes, should be opment Co-ordination Conference in order to compen- continued; sate for the costs of destabilization, to allow these coun- (iii) In addition, donor countries should increase the tries to implement their recovery and development grant element in their future assistance to poorer programmes effectively and to strengthen co-operation African countries. among them so that they can reduce their dependence (b) Multilateral debt on South Africa. Furthermore, provisions of relief as- (i) Every effort should be made to ensure the speedy sistance should be expanded to include the rehabilita- and full implementation of the initiatives of in- tion of populations affected by emergency situations in ternational financial institutions, especially the order to restore, inter alia, their productive capacities. In Enhanced Structural Adjustment Facility of the particular, contributions to the Action for Resisting In- International Monetary Fund, in order to ensure vasion, Colonialism and Apartheid Fund and United Na- that necessary concessional resource flows are tions funds and other means to support the victims of available to low-income countries in Africa that apartheid and the front-line States should be continued are undertaking structural adjustment; and be increased, where possible. (ii) The proposal to establish a mechanism, financed 4. Human resources by voluntary contributions, to alleviate, on a con- 71. Responsibility for the development, planning cessional basis, the outstanding World Bank debt and utilization of their human resources falls first and of low-income countries that are pursuing reform foremost on the African countries. The international measures should also be considered urgently. community should support their efforts by providing the (i) Commercial loans and credits necessary financial and technical assistance to promote Various new methods of reducing the commercial debt their human resources development. of developing countries have been developed. The ap- plication of these methods to ease the commercial debt 5. South-South co-operation of African countries should be promoted. 72. South-South co-operation in supporting the-im- 67. The common position of Africa on addressing plementation of the Programme of Action should be en- the problem of the continent on external debt adopted hanced. Action already initiated in the agricultural sector by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of should be intensified, and additional projects should be the Organization of African Unity at its third extraor- identified to assist African countries, either individu- ally or collectively, in improving the production of sta- dinary session, held at Addis Ababa on 30 November and 1 December 1987, should be taken account of and ple food items. Particular emphasis should be placed on seriously considered by the international community. technological co-operation, especially in agro-related and consumer-goods industries, to enable Africa to benefit (d) Supporting reform within a broad development framework from the expertise and experience of other, more ad- 68. African countries have the responsibility for for- vanced developing countries. The same obtains for the mulating and implementing the economic reforms that exchange of experience and skills in the development form part of the process of recovery and longer-term de- of human resources. To achieve these objectives, in- velopment. In supporting these reforms, Africa’s inter- dividual countries and subregional and regional group- national partners should keep in mind this imperative ings in Africa and other developing regions should agree for longer-term economic and social development. In on specific plans of action, with time-bound and sec- this context, the human dimension should be a central toral targets. concern. Intensified efforts should be made by all par- ties to develop and use appropriate indicators to meas- 6. Support by the United Nations system ure and monitor closely the improvement of conditions 73. Co-operation and co-ordination among the var- of human well-being as reforms proceed. Instruments ious organizations of the United Nations system in the Economic assistance, disasters and emergency relief 375 implementation and monitoring of the Programme of during the year. It was estimated that donor sup- Action should be further strengthened. In order to en- port, which took account of the economic and so- sure the capacity of the Secretary-General to carry out cial impact of the measures undertaken by Benin his responsibilities with regard to the Programme of Ac- in implementing a financial stabilization and tion. the secretariats of the United Nations Steering structural adjustment programme, would be of key Committee and of the Inter-Agency Task Force should be given appropriate support for the duration of the Pro- importance to achieving the desired goals. gramme. Adequate funding, both budgetary and extra- In the area of external assistance and aid co- budgetary, should be provided for this purpose. ordination, a round-table conference was tenta- 74. At the national level, further efforts to improve tively scheduled for late 1988 or early 1989. It was co-ordination within the United Nations system should expected that this forum would provide an oppor- be taken in the context of the country-programming tunity for dialogue between the Government and framework of the United Nations and the role of the bilateral and multilateral donors concerning pro- resident co-ordinator. In the programmes of the United grammes to stimulate economic recovery and the Nations system, particular emphasis should be placed on the priority sectors for the recovery and development country’s needs for external assistance to support those programmes. of Africa. (25) 75. In view of the important role of non- In a later report, the Secretary-General governmental organizations in mobilizing and making noted that external development assistance to the public more aware as regards development, the Benin in 1988 totalled $209.8 million, of which United Nations system should increase its co-operation $178.6 million was for capital expenses and tech- with non-governmental organizations for the implemen- nical assistance. Donor contributions to the latter tation of the Programme of Action. amount comprised: bilateral, $88.1 million; multi- General Assembly resolution 43/27 lateral, $67.6 million; United Nations system, 18 November 1988 Meeting 56 Adopted without vote $14.2 million; NGOs, $8.6 million. Draft by Ad Hoc Committee of the Whole (A/43/664 & Corr.1); agenda item Following several years of drought, several Benin 39. provinces suffered flood rains in August/ Meeting numbers. GA 43rd session: plenary 55, 56. September 1988, which resulted in 70,000 flood In resolution 43/217, section VII, the Assem- victims and loss of crops and stocks, and left thou- bly approved the conclusions and recommenda- sands homeless. (22) tions of CPC regarding UNPAAERD. CPC For General Assembly action on economic as- recommended that regular budget resources for sistance to Benin, see resolution 43/211. the Economic Commission for Africa and other relevant entities for the 1990-1991 biennium be Central African Republic made commensurate with the priority accorded to In his August 1988(24) report on special pro- Africa and UNPAAERD by the Assembly. Noting grammes of economic assistance, the Secretary- that a large portion of resources allocated to UN- General said that, according to World Bank esti- PAAERD was to come from extrabudgetary mates, the financing requirement of the Central resources, CPC expressed concern that they might African Republic to meet its investment pro- not materialize and recommended that the gramme for 1987-1992, after taking account of ex- Secretary-General redouble his efforts to ensure pected external financing, had a shortfall of $20 adequate resources for UNPAAERD’s implementa- million in 1988. The shortfall was expected to de- tion. It also recommended that information on fac- cline to $5 million by 1992. The investment pro- tors affecting UNPAAERD's implementation be gramme aimed, in particular, to revitalize the provided to the Ad Hoc Committee of the Whole commercial exploitation of the country’s forestry and that the Secretary-General take into consider- resources, strengthen receipts from the diamond ation all relevant views in pursuing the matter of industry and stimulate the private sector, especially financial flows for Africa. at the level of small and medium-sized enterprises. Social investment would focus on developing the Benin country’s human resources and improving health In response to a 1987 General Assembly re- conditions. In accordance with recommendations quest,(23) the Secretary-General submitted in Au- made at a round-table conference held at Geneva gust 1988 a report(24) containing information on in June 1987,(26) follow-up consultations were the special programme of economic assistance for scheduled for programmes in rural development, Benin, whose economic performance continued to education, training and employment, and for small decline in 1988. In April, the first stage of for- and medium-sized enterprises. mulating a financial stabilization and structural In a later report.(25) the Secretary-General adjustment programme was completed, following stated that in the Central African Republic be- consultations between the Government and a joint tween 1987 and 1988. GDP declined in real terms. IMF/World Bank mission. A timetable was drawn The external current account went further into up for the implementation of a series of measures deficit in 1988, despite a contraction of imports; 376 Economic and social questions the deficit for the year represented 18 per cent of A programme costing $43 million was presented GDP. The fall in prices of the Central African covering rural and urban development and includ- Republic’s exports (coffee, tobacco) contributed to ing environmental protection measures. Pledges those results. Export revenues also suffered from by donors totalled $27 million. declines in the quantities of cotton, coffee and In 1988, technical assistance valued at $71.7 mil- wood exported. Exacerbating the current account lion was provided to Chad, of which 55 per cent shortfall was the country’s land-locked situation, was bilateral assistance, 36 per cent was provided which added to transport and insurance costs. The by multilateral organizations, including the United situation with regard to public finances also de- Nations, and 9 per cent was provided by 12 NGOs. teriorated in 1988. Recurrent costs were in excess Countries providing technical assistance were (in of revenues, and capital expenditures were order of volume of assistance) France, the United markedly curtailed. At year’s end, the country’s States, Switzerland, Egypt, the Federal Republic public debt totalled $598 million, with debt ser- of Germany, the Netherlands and China. vicing consuming 16 per cent of export revenues.

For General Assembly action on economic as- GENERAL ASSEMBLY ACTION sistance to the Central African Republic, see reso- On 20 December, on the recommendation of the lution 43/211. Second (Economic and Financial) Committee, the General Assembly adopted resolution 43/20.5 Chad without vote. In response to a 1987 request of the General As- sembly,(27) the Secretary-General, in his August Special economic assistance to Chad 1988 report on special programmes of economic The General Assembly, assistance,(24) provided information on Chad. In Recalling its resolution 42/000 of 11 December 1987 and its previous resolutions on assistance in the reconstruc- January, Chad appealed for food donations and tion, rehabilitation and development of Chad, on emer- financial assistance to help meet an estimated food gency humanitarian assistance to Chad and on special deficit of 141,000 tonnes. In March, the Govern- economic assistance to that country, ment appealed for financial assistance to transport Having considered the report of the Secretary-General 7,500 tonnes of food to deficit areas. on special economic assistance to Chad, dealing with, In a later report on the situation in Chad,(28) inter alia, the economic and financial situation of Chad, the Secretary-General stated that a favourable pat- the status of assistance provided for the rehabilitation tern of rainfall in 1987/88 resulted in a striking and reconstruction of the country and the progress made in organizing and executing the programme of assistance recovery in agricultural output. GDP in 1988 was for that country, estimated to have risen by 21 per cent over 1987. Considering that the effects of war, natural calamities An agreement was signed by Chad and the World and disasters are compromising all the reconstruction Bank in 1988 that would provide Chad with a and development efforts of the Government of Chad, financial rehabilitation credit of $45 million, which Noting the numerous appeals launched by the Govern- was to cover the years 1988 to 1990 and aimed to ment of Chad and governmental and non-governmental improve performance in a number of sectors, spe- organizations regarding the seriousness of the food and cifically the public, cotton and banking sectors and health situation in Chad, public enterprises. However, Chad continued to Noting also that the donor round table on assistance confront serious financial constraints. In the bal- in the rehabilitation and reconstruction of northern ance of payments, the deficit on current transac- Chad will be convened by the Government of Chad, in collaboration with the United Nations Development tions was expected to rise to as much as 25 per Programme. on 14, 15 and 16 December 1988. cent of GDP if unilateral flows of assistance to the Recognizing the need for emergency economic assistance public sector were excluded. According to World to Chad, Bank data, Chad’s external debt totalled $269.6 Noting with satisfaction that the implementation of the million at the end of 1987. interim plan for 1986-1988 is now drawing to an end A new development plan for 1989-1992 was and that a development plan for 1989-1992 is being under preparation, with World Bank assistance prepared, and UNDP funding, succeeding the interim plan Recalling the round table on assistance to Chad, con- of 1986-1988. Under the round-table process, two vened by the United Nations Development Programme sets of consultations between the Government and at Geneva on 4 and 5 December 1985, in accordance donors were held in 1988. The first, in February, with the arrangements agreed upon at the International Conference on Assistance to Chad, held in November was on rehabilitation of the transport and com- 1982, munications sector, where projects costing $98 mil- 1. Expresses its gratitude to the States and governmental lion were presented. Donors made commitments and non-governmental organizations that responded and for 75 per cent of that amount. In December, con- are continuing to respond generously to the appeals of sultations were held on rehabilitating the prefec- the Government of Chad and of the Secretary-General ture of Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti in northern Chad. by furnishing assistance to Chad; Economic assistance, disasters and emergency relief 377

2. Expresses its appreciation to the Secretary-General for In February, Djibouti appealed to the interna- his efforts to make the international community aware tional community for assistance in coping with the of the difficulties of Chad and to mobilize assistance for consequences of the 1987 drought and requested that country; UNDP to co-ordinate efforts to mobilize resources. 3. Renews the request made to States, competent United Nations organizations and programmes and interna- To that end, UNDP approved an emergency grant tional economic and financial institutions to continue: of $50,000 for the purchase of various items and (a) To provide the necessary humanitarian assistance for the services of a consultant to assist the Govern- to the people of Chad, who have suffered from the com- ment in project preparation. bined effects of the war, drought, flooding and the in- In a later report,(25) the Secretary-General vasion of predators; stated that external assistance to Djibouti in 1988 (b) To contribute to the rehabilitation and develop- totalled $102 million, of which $78 million was ment of Chad; provided by bilateral donors and $24 million by 4. Notes with satisfaction that the sectoral follow-up multilateral institutions. Among sectors, education meetings envisaged by the round table on assistance to led in its share of total assistance, followed by Chad, held at Geneva in December 1985, took place in transport and communications, housing, agricul- December 1986 and February 1988 at Ndjamena; ture, water and natural resources. 5. Requests the Secretary-General: (a) To contribute, in co-operation with the United For General Assembly action on economic as- Nations Development Programme, to the preparation sistance to Djibouti, see resolution 43/211. of a development plan for Chad for 1989-1992; (b) To continue to assess, in close collaboration with Madagascar the humanitarian agencies concerned, the humanitarian needs, particularly in the areas of food and health, of In 1988, Madagascar entered its fifth consecu- the displaced populations; tive year of implementing serious structural ad- (c) To mobilize special humanitarian assistance for justment measures, formulated in co-operation persons who have suffered as a result of the war, natu- with the World Bank and IMF, said the Secretary- ral calamities and disasters, and for the resettlement of General in an August 1988 report.(24) Those ef- displaced persons; forts continued within the structural policy frame- 6. Invites States and competent United Nations or- work for the period, 1987-1990, the main objective ganizations and programmes to participate actively in of which was to increase the growth rate of GDP the donor round table on assistance in the rehabilita- and exports. In the 1987-1990 phase of adjustment, tion and reconstruction of northern Chad, to be held particular attention was being given to increasing on 14, 15 and 16 December 1988; the efficiency of allocation and use of public 7. Calls Upon the Secretary-General to keep the situ- ation in Chad under review and to report thereon to resources. the Genera! Assembly at its forty-fourth session. At the fifth meeting of the Consultative Group for Madagascar (Paris, 28 and 29 January), held General Assembly resolution 43/205 under the auspices of the World Bank, Madagas- 20 December 1988 Meeting 83 Adopted without vote car presented its strategy for continued structural Approved by Second Committee (A/43/918/Add.2) without vote, 15 Novem- ber (meeting 42); 28-nation draft (A/C.2/43/L.33); agenda item 86. adjustment in the immediate future and donors Sponsors: Algeria, Argentina. Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon. Cape Verde, pledged a total of $700 million for 1988 and 1989. Central African Republic, Chad, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Côte In a later report,(25) the Secretary General d’Ivoire, Egypt, France, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Japan, Mali. Mauritania. Morocco, Niger, Senegal, Togo, Tunisia. United Kingdom, Zaire noted that, after almost a decade of efforts aimed Meeting numbers. GA 43rd session: 2nd Committee 26, 28-30, 36-38, 40, at financial stabilization and structural adjustment 42; plenary 83. of the economy, Madagascar began in 1988 to ex- perience the beginnings of economic growth. Djibouti Total aid disbursements to Madagascar in 1988 In response to a 1987 General Assembly re- totalled $382.5 million, with the World Bank, the quest,(23) the Secretary-General, in his August (24) European Development Fund, the African Devel- 1988 report, provided information on the sit- opment Bank, IMF and UNDP accounting for 39 uation in Djibouti, which had instituted a num- per cent of contributions. ber of measures to improve its budgetary and For General Assembly action regarding eco- financial situation. The 1988 budget aimed to in- nomic assistance to Madagascar, see resolution crease revenues by further improving the collec- 43/211. tion of indirect taxes, raising certain taxes and im- posing profit taxes on public enterprises. Government expenditures were to be kept to a Countries and areas in other regions necessary minimum and the civil service would continue to be subject to financial constraints. Central America However, as in previous years, it was expected that In response to a 1987 General Assembly re- external assistance would be required to balance quest,(29) the Secretary-General submitted in the budget. April 1988 a Special Plan of Economic Co- 378 Economic and social questions

operation for Central America.(30) The report Ecuador gave the background and main characteristics of In his August 1988 report to the General Assem- the crisis in the Central American countries and bly,(24) the Secretary-General described interna- outlined an emergency programme (assistance to tional assistance programmes and donor support refugees, food aid, urgent energy needs), pro- to Ecuador following the March 1987 earthquakes. grammes of immediate action (foreign debt, fi- Total emergency assistance by United Nations pro- nancing to reactivate the Central American Com- grammes and agencies amounted to $158,450. In mon Market and reduce temporary imbalances in addition, bilateral donors channelled $313,385 in countries’ balance of payments) and economic emergency assistance through the Office of the reactivation and social development. The report United Nations Disaster Relief Co-ordinator also discussed institutional and management ca- (UNDRO). pacity aspects, the role of the United Nations sys- Bilateral donors and the European Community tem, internal and international responsibility, and provided direct emergency assistance in cash and institutional mechanisms for implementing the kind valued at $7.5 million. Emergency assistance Special Plan. from NGOs and private institutions approximated In resolution 42/231 of 12 May 1988, the As- $700,000, while bilateral donations channelled sembly urged the international community and in- through the Red Cross amounted to $730,000. ternational organizations to increase their techni- For General Assembly action regarding economic cal, economic and financial co-operation with the assistance to Ecuador, see resolution 43/211. Central American countries to implement the ac- tivities supporting the Special Plan. Vanuatu In an October report on the situation in Cen- (31) In his August 1988 report on special programmes tral America, the Secretary-General stated that (24) not only had economic development been ad- of economic assistance, the Secretary-General versely affected by the political turmoil in the re- described external assistance to Vanuatu, an island developing country, which was struck by a cyclone gion, but the economic crisis was perpetuating un- (32) (25) just socio-economic structures and prolonging in 1987. In a later report, he stated that in internal conflicts, thus frustrating efforts to arrive January and February 1988, Vanuatu had again at a consensus concerning the socio-political model been struck by cyclones, following each of which for Central American societies. UNDP had provided $50,000 in emergency relief as- In resolution 43/210 of 20 December, the As- sistance. UNDP also initiated a $300,000 reconstruc- sembly recommended the convening of a meeting tion project covering longer-term rehabilitation. early in 1989 to review the evolution of the devel- As to the economy, copra exports had been declin opment process, including assistance require- ing but that had been offset by increases in the ex- ments, and to discuss the programmes and projects port of meat and hides, trochus shells and cocoa. that could be implemented as soon as possible in Vanuatu’s tourist industry contributed significantly support of the Special Plan’s goals and objectives. to foreign exchange earnings. A significant devel- It urged Member States and observers, inter- opment in the industry had been the national airline’s governmental organizations, international finan- acquisition of its first aircraft, which came into service cial institutions and the United Nations system to in the second half of 1988. adopt immediate measures to implement activi- A round-table meeting of donors to Vanuatu was ties in support of the Special Plan. held at Geneva in October 1988, providing an op- portunity for dialogue between the Government and Democratic Yemen potential donors on the country’s economic situa- tion in order to secure and integrate additional as- In his August 1988 report on special pro- (24) sistance into the overall plan. Two new donors offered grammes of economic assistance, the new aid funds and one traditional donor offered Secretary-General provided information on additional technical assistance. Democratic Yemen’s economic situation and its re- habilitation and reconstruction efforts following devastating floods in 1982. Most of the aid-assisted GENERAL ASSEMBLY ACTION programmes under the reconstruction and re- On 20 December, on the recommendation of the habilitation programme had been completed or Second Committee, the General Assembly adopted were close to completion. Two UNDP-funded resolution 43/211 without vote. projects were due to be completed in 1988: the Assistance to Benin, the Central African reconstruction of the Abyan Delta and flood con- Republic, Democratic Yemen, Djibouti, trol at Wadi Bana and Wadi Hassan. Ecuador, Madagascar and Vanuatu For General Assembly action regarding eco- The General Assembly, nomic assistance to Democratic Yemen, see reso- Recalling its resolution 42/205 of 11 December 1987 on lution 43/211. assistance to Benin, the Central African Republic, Economic assistance, disasters and emergency relief 379

Democratic Yemen, Djibouti, Ecuador, the Gambia, tion in its terms of trade and of a high population growth Madagascar, Nicaragua and Vanuatu and its previous rate coupled with a shortage of skilled manpower, resolutions on assistance to the countries concerned, Noting the particularly difficult problems faced by is- Having considered the relevant report of the Secretary- land developing countries in responding to negative and General, special economic circumstances, as referred to in the re- Noting with satisfaction the financial, economic and tech- port of the Secretary-General called for in its resolution nical support that Member States. the specialized agen- 41/163 of 5 December 1986 and in its resolution 43/189 ties and other organizations of the United Nations sys- of 20 December 1988, tem and regional, interregional and intergovernmental Noting that Benin, ‘the Central African Republic, organizations have been providing to those countries, Democratic Yemen. Djibouti and Vanuatu are among Deeply concerned that those countries continue to face the countries classified as least developed countries, special economic and financial difficulties owing to a va- Having hard the statements of Member States at the riety of factors, forty-third session of the General Assembly on the sit- Noting that Benin continues to experience grave eco- uations currently prevailing in those countries, nomic and financial difficulties, characterized by a 1. Expresses its appreciation to the Secretary-General for marked balance-of-payments disequilibrium, the heavy the steps he has taken to mobilize resources for carry- burden of its external debt and a lack of resources neces- ing out the special programmes of economic assistance sary for the implementation of its planned economic and to those countries; social development programme, and that its situation 2. Expresses its appreciation for the efforts undertaken is even more precarious following the disastrous floods by the Governments of those countries to overcome their that caused substantial material damage and loss of economic and financial difficulties; human lives during the months of August, September 3. Also expresses its appreciation for the assistance and October 1988, provided or pledged to those countries by Member Noting the persistence of the grave difficulties that the States, specialized agencies and other organizations of Government of the Central African Republic continues the United Nations system and regional, interregional to face in the efforts that it has been making since 1982 and intergovernmental organizations; to re-establish the economic stability of the country, as 4. Further expresses its appreciation for the action taken well as the importance of mobilizing more supplemen- by the United Nations and the specialized agencies, in tary resources in order to enable it to achieve its objec- particular the United Nations Development Programme tives in its development programme, and the Office of the United Nations Disaster Relief Co- Noting that severe and harsh climatic conditions cou- ordinator, and for the contributions of the international pled with chronic aridity preclude the possibility of any community with regard to the immediate assistance meaningful agricultural activities, and that the linger- provided to the population and areas affected by the ing effects of recurrent drought and the presence of large earthquakes in Ecuador in March 1987; numbers of refugees and displaced persons are having 5. welcomes the successful conclusion of the round- a devastating impact on the already precarious economic table meeting for Vanuatu, conducted by the United Na- and social development of Djibouti. tions Development Programme on 28 October 1988; Noting the efforts made by the Government of 6. Notes with concern that the assistance made avail- Democratic Yemen in its rehabilitation and reconstruc- able to those countries has not been adequate to meet tion programmes in response to the devastating conse- their urgent requirements and that additional assistance quences of the floods in 1982, is needed; Bearing in mind the economic and financial conse- 7. Reaffirms the need for all Governments and inter- quences of the earthquakes of March 1987 in Ecuador national organizations to fulfil the commitments under- and their negative impact on its balance of payments, taken within the framework of the Substantial New Pro- the current account deficit amounting to 776 million gramme of Action for the 1980s for the Least Developed United States dollars and the public sector deficit Countries; amounting to more than 305 million dollars in the 8. Appeals to Member States, international financial months following March 1987, and taking into account institutions, the specialized agencies and organizations the fact that all the efforts made by the Government of and programmes of the United Nations system to re- Ecuador to improve that adverse situation have not spond generously and urgently to the needs of those produced the desired results owing to the domestic eco- countries as identified in the report of the Secretary- nomic recession and the effects of the international eco- General; nomic crisis, which seriously impede the entire economic 9. Appeals to the specialized agencies, organizations and social development process, and programmes of the United Nations system and to Noting that Madagascar’s economic and social devel- the international community to provide the necessary opment efforts are being thwarted by the adverse effects assistance to the rehabilitation and reconstruction pro- of the cyclones and floods that afflict that country peri- grammes in Ecuador, which are essential to the most odically. particularly those of December 1983. January affected areas and populations and whose implementa- and April 1984 and March 1986, and that the execu- tion is impeded by the national budgetary constraints tion of reconstruction and rehabilitation programmes resulting from the economic crisis, and requests the requires the mobilization of sizeable resources exceed- Secretary-General to use his good offices to promote ing the country’s real possibilities, greater participation by the international community Noting that Vanuatu, an island developing country, and the United Nations system in the implementation continues to experience severe constraints in its eco- of those programmes; nomic and social development as a consequence, inter 10. Invites the international community to contrib- alia, of declining export prices leading to a deteriora- ute to the special accounts established at United Na- 380 Economic and social Questions

tions Headquarters by the Secretary-General for the also PART THREE, Chapter XV). In 1988, Mo- purpose of facilitating the channelling of contributions zambique again requested the Secretary-General’s to the countries facing special difficulties; assistance to mobilize international humanitarian 11. Urgently appeals to all international organizations, in particular the specialized agencies and other organi- support to cope with the grave consequences of zations of the United Nations system, regional organi- externally-supported acts of destabilization and the zations, humanitarian organizations and voluntary impact of a limited drought. An inter-agency mis- agencies, to continue and increase, to the extent possi- sion visited the country in February, an interna- ble, their assistance in response to the reconstruction, tional appeal was launched by the Secretary- economic recovery and development needs of those General in March and an international donor countries; meeting was held in April at Maputo. 12. Requests the Secretary-General to take the neces- In response to a request by the Secretary- sary steps, in collaboration with the organs, agencies and General for information on specific measures taken programmes of the United Nations system, in accord- to assist front-line and other States bordering on ance with General Assembly resolution 41/192 of 8 De- cember 1986 on special programmes of economic as- South Africa, replies were received from 24 Mem- sistance, to provide assistance for all disasters, natural ber States and 14 organizations of the United Na- or otherwise, striking those countries and to mobilize tions system. Information was also received from the necessary resources to enable them to meet their the Southern African Development Co-ordination short-, medium- and long-term needs; Conference (SADCC). In addition, it was noted 13. Also requests the Secretary-General to keep the that efforts were being made by the United Na- question of assistance to those countries and their eco- tions system and SADCC to expand and strengthen nomic situation under review and to report to the their co-operation. General Assembly at its forty-fifth session on the im- plementation of the present resolution. GENERAL ASSEMBLY ACTION General Assembly resolution 43/211 On 20 December, on the recommendation of the 20 December 1988 Meeting 83 Adopted without vote Second Committee, the General Assembly Approved by Second Committee (A/43/918/Add.2) without vote, 6 Decem- resolution ber (meeting 47); draft by Vice-Chairman (A/C.2/43/L.67). orally amended adopted 43/209 by recorded vote. by Democratic Yemen: agenda item 86. Meeting numbers. GA 43rd session: 2nd Committee 26, 28-30, 36-38, 45, Special assistance to front-line States 47: plenary 83. The General Assembly, Recalling its resolutions 41/199 of 8 December 1986 and 42/201 of 11 December 1987, Front-line and other bordering States Having considered the report of the Secretary-General, In response to a 1987 request of the General As- Deeply concerned at the continuing deteriorating situa- sembly,(33) the Secretary-General submitted a re- tion in southern Africa, which has aggravated the eco- port in July 1988, with later addenda,(34) on ac- nomic problems confronting the front-line States and tion taken by the international community to assist other bordering States, arising from the apartheid poli- cies of the Pretoria regime, the front-line States (Angola, Botswana, Mozam- Conscious of the responsibility of the international com- bique, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, munity to address the problems of the region, Zimbabwe) and other bordering States to with- Commending the concerted and determined efforts of stand the effects of economic measures taken by the countries of the region to cope with the prevailing South Africa, or by the international community adverse conditions by strengthening their economic co- against South Africa. operation and lessening their dependence on South The report first described urgent humanitarian, Africa, particularly in the areas of transportation, com- economic and technical assistance being provided munications and related sectors, by the United Nations to Angola, Malawi and Mo- Reaffirming the importance of close co-operation be- tween-the United Nations and the front-line States, zambique, where complex emergency situations Mindful of Security Council resolutions 568(1985) of prevailed. Following an inter-agency mission to 21 June 1985, 571(1985) of 20 September 1985 and Angola in 1987, the Secretary-General launched 581(1986) of 13 February 1986, in which the Council, an appeal to the international donor community inter alia, requested the international community to ren- during his February 1988 visit there. That was fol- der assistance to the front-line States, lowed by a donor meeting at Geneva in May, when 1. Expresses its appreciation to the Secretary-General for over $75 million was pledged towards Angola’s his efforts regarding assistance to the front-line States; overall emergency requirements. An inter-agency 2. Strongly urges the international community to con- mission also visited Malawi in 1987 and estimated tinue to provide in a timely and effective manner the financial, material and technical assistance necessary to that some $90.8 million would be required in 1988 enhance the individual and collective capacity of the to meet the needs of some 360,000 displaced per- front-line States and other bordering States to withstand sons from neighbouring Mozambique. The the effects of economic measures taken by South Africa, Secretary-General launched an appeal in March or by the international community against South Africa, 1988 for generous contributions to the projects and in accordance with their national and regional plans and programmes recommended by the mission (see strategies; Economic assistance, disasters and emergency relief 381

3. Requests the Secretary-General to continue effects of South Africa’s aggression and destabili- mobilizing organs, organizations and bodies of the zation, and called on the international community United Nations system so that they may respond to such to increase assistance to southern African coun- requests for assistance as might be forthcoming from tries to enable them to strengthen their capacity individual States or the appropriate subregional organi- to provide for the care of refugees, returnees and zation, and further urges all States to respond favour- ably to such requests; displaced persons in their countries. 4. Appeals to all States and appropriate intergovern- mental and non-governmental organizations to support REFERENCES (2) (1)YUN 1986, p. 446, GA res. S-13/2, 1 June 1986. A/43/500 the national and collective emergency programmes pre- (3) & Corr.1. YUN 1986, p. 446, GA res. S-13/2, annex, 1 June pared by the front-line States and other bordering States (4) (5) (6) to overcome the critical problems arising from the situ- 1986. YUN 1987, p. 437. A/43/500/Add.1. A/43/500/ Add.2. (7)E/1988/79. (8)YUN 1987, p. 439. (9)DP/1988/24. ation in South Africa; (10) (11) (12) YUN 1987, p. 438. DP/1988/10. E/1988/19 (dec. 5. Notes with (13) (14) (15) appreciation the assistance being rendered 88/9). DP/1988/65. E/1988/19 (dec. 88/24). YUN to the front-line States by donor countries and inter- 1977, p. 509. (16)TD/B/1181. (17)TD/B/1182. (18)A/43/15, vol. governmental organizations; II (dec. 363(XXXV)). (19)YUN 1987, p 440, GA res. 42/163, 6. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the 8 Dec. 1987. (20)A/43/664 & Corr.1. (21)E/1988/40. (22)A/43/16. General Assembly at its forty-fourth session on the pro- (23)YUN 1987, p. 449, GA res. 42/205, 11 Dec. 1987. (24)A/43/483. (25)A/45/358. (26)YUN 1987, p. 442. (27)Ibid, gress made in the implementation of the present reso- (28) (29) lution. p. 443, GA res. 42/200, 11 Dec. 1987. A/44/418. YUN 1987, p. 447, GA res. 42/204, 11 Dec. 1987. (30)A/42/949. General Assembly resolution 43/209 (31)A/43/729-S/20234. (32)YUN 1987, p. 456. (33)Ibid, p. 166, (34) 20 December 1988 Meeting 83 152-0-1 (recorded vote) GA res. 42/201, 11 Dec. 1987. A/43/449 & Add.1,2. Approved by Second Committee (A/43/918/Add.2) by recorded vote (139- 0-1), 23 November (meeting 44); 38-nation draft (A/C.2/43/L.49); agenda item 86. Sponsors: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Austria, Barbados, Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Canada, Cape Verde. Congo. Cuba, Denmark, Ethio- Disasters pia, Finland. German Democratic Republic, Ghana. Iceland, Liberia. Lib- van Arab Jamahiriya, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mexico. Morocco, Mozambique, New Zealand. Norway, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sweden, Tu- nisia, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania. Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe. In 1988, UNDRO continued to be the focal point Meeting numbers. GA 43rd session: 2nd Committee 26, 28-30, 36-38, 43, in the United Nations system for disaster manage- 44; plenary 83. ment; its mandate covered all aspects of disaster Recorded vote in Assembly as follows: relief and mitigation (prevention and prepared- In favour: Afghanistan, Albania. Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, ness). UNDRO also provided Governments with Benin, Bhutan. Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil. Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Bur- -- assistance in pre-disaster planning. kina Faso. Burma, Burundi, Byelorussian SSR, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Democratic Kampuchea, Democratic Yemen, Denmark, Djibouti, Domini- can Republic. Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea. Ethiopia, Review of disaster and Fiji, Finland. France. Gabon. Gambia. German Democratic Republic. Ger- emergency assistance m&, Federal Republic of, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indone- In accordance with a 1987 General Assembly sia, Iran, Iraq. Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lao decision,(1) the Secretary-General submitted a People’s Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Lesotho. Liberia, Libyan Arab (2) Jamahiriya, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, progress report on the status of the implemen- Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique. tation of that decision, by which he had been asked Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger. Nigeria, Norway, Oman. Pakistan. Panama. Papua New Guinea. Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, to proceed with the implementation of the conclu- Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Lucia; Saint Vincent and sions and recommendations contained in his 1987 the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal. report on the capacity of the United Nations sys- Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Syrian Arab Republic. Thai- tem in the area of disaster relief, preparedness and land, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia. Turkey. Uganda, Ukrainian SSR, prevention.(3) USSR, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanza- nia, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen. Yugoslavia. Zaire, With regard to recommendations concerning Zambia, Zimbabwe. UNDRO the Secretary-General stated that a study Against: None. Abstaining: United States. was under way by the Advisory Management Service to adjust UNDRO’s work programme and The Assembly, in resolution 43/50 A, appealed organization in order to focus attention on sud- to all States and intergovernmental and non- den natural disasters and on preparation and governmental organizations to increase material, prevention measures. The report of a joint financial and other support to the front-line and UNDRO/UNDP task force, established to work out other neighbouring independent States. In reso- improved modalities for co-operation, was annexed lution 43/116, the Assembly reiterated its appreci- to the Secretary-General’s report. The task force ation to the Secretary-General for his efforts to or- made several specific recommendations to ganize and mobilize special programmes of strengthen co-operation between UNDP and economic assistance for the front-line and other UNDRO and its report also dealt with co-operative neighbouring States to help them withstand the arrangements between all oreanizations in the 382 Economic and social questions field, including the strengthening of government tion base and its capacity to disseminate timely and relia- mechanisms to deal with disasters. The Secretary- ble disaster-related information and to continue to General noted that steps were being taken to update its profiles of disaster-prone countries, as well strengthen UNDRO's capacity to manage disaster- as to develop its International Disaster Management In- related information. formation Network, bearing in mind the report to be prepared by the Secretary-General in response to the In connection with operations at the field level, request made by the General Assembly in paragraph the UNDRO/UNDP task force addressed issues 5 of its resolution 42/169; related to the responsibilities of United Nations 2. Notes with interest the close co-operation between resident co-ordinators and their colleagues in the the Office of the Co-ordinator and the United Nations field, particularly to the need for a standing United Development Programme, as described in the final re- Nations disaster response team in disaster-prone port of the joint United Nations Development Pro- countries. gramme/Office of the United Nations Disaster Relief As to United Nations Headquarters arrange- Co-ordinator task force; 3. Requests the Office of the Co-ordinator to ments, the Secretary-General had entrusted the strengthen its relationship with Member States, in par- Director-General for Development and Interna- ticular with national focal points in disaster-prone coun- tional Economic Co-operation with the responsi- tries, and, in this connection, recognizes the need to hold bility of ensuring that he was kept fully informed meetings at the regional and/or international level, at on potential and existing disaster situations so as appropriate intervals, with the participation of heads of to be in a position to take appropriate action. In national emergency relief services of donor and recip- that regard, a close working relationship had been ient countries. established with UNDRO, a major concern being General Assembly resolution 43/204 to ensure a timely, adequate and co-ordinated re- 20 December 1988 Meeting 83 Adopted without vote sponse by the United Nations system. Approved by Second Committee (A/43/918/Add.2) without vote, 30 Novem- The suggestion that a technical panel be con- ber (meeting 45): draft by Vice-Chairman (A/C.2/43/L.70), based on in- fo&l consultations on draft by Tunisia, for Group of 77 (A/C.2/43/L.59); vened to advise the Secretary-General on ways to agenda item 86. take advantage of technological advances in deal- Meeting numbers. GA 43rd session: 2nd Committee 26, 28-30, 36-38, 43, ing with disaster and emergency situations was 45; plenary 83. being considered in connection with the Interna- Humanitarian assistance tional Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (see below). On the recommendation of the Third (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) Committee, the General Assembly, on 8 December, adopted reso- GENERAL ASSEMBLY ACTION lution 43/131 without vote. On 20 December, on the recommendation of the Second Committee, the General Assembly Humanitarian assistance to victims of natural adopted resolution 43/204 without vote. disasters and similar emergency situations The General Assembly, Special economic and disaster relief assistance Recalling that one of the purposes of the United Na- The General Assembly, tions is to achieve international co-operation in solving Recalling its resolution 2816(XXVI) of 14 December international problems of an economic, social, cultural 1971, by which it established the Office of the United or humanitarian character, and in promoting and en- Nations Disaster Relief Co-ordinator, couraging respect for human rights and fundamental Recalling also its resolution 42/169 of 11 December 1987 freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, lan- and taking note of Economic and Social Council reso- guage, or religion, lution 1988/51 of 26 July 1988, Reaffirming the sovereignty, territorial integrity and na- Taking note with interest of the reports of the Secretary- tional unity of States, and recognizing that it is up to General on the activities of the Office of the Co- each State first and foremost to take care of the victims ordinator and on special economic and disaster relief of natural disasters and similar emergency situations oc- assistance,, curring on its territory, Recognizing that activities related to disaster prepared- Deeply concerned about the suffering of the victims of ness and prevention were significantly greater than in natural disasters and similar emergency situations, the 1986-1987, and appreciating, in this regard, the contri- loss in human lives, the destruction of property and the bution of bilateral donors and intergovernmental and mass displacement of populations that result from them, non-governmental organizations, as well as the good per- Bearing in mind that natural disasters and similar emer- formance of the Office of the Co-ordinator in strength- gency situations have grave consequences for the eco- ening the national emergency services of affected de- nomic and social plans of all countries concerned, veloping countries by providing, inter alia, advice and Desiring that the international community should re- expertise on the utilization of early warning systems and spond speedily and effectively to appeals for emergency on the elaboration and implementation of disaster con- humanitarian assistance made in particular through the tingency plans for pre-disaster planning and post- Secretary-General, disaster periods, Mindful of the importance of humanitarian assistance 1. Encourages the Office of the United Nations Dis- for the victims of natural disasters and similar emer- aster Relief Co-ordinator to expand further its informa- gency situations, Economic assistance, disasters and emergency relief 383

Recognizing that the international community makes 9. Decides to consider this question at its forty-fifth an important contribution to the sustenance and pro- session. tection of such victims, whose health and life may be General Assembly resolution 43/131 seriously endangered, Considering that the abandonment of the victims of nat- 8 December 1988 Meeting 75 Adopted without vote ural disasters and similar emergency situations without Approved by Third Committee (A/43/877) without vote, 22 November (meet- humanitarian assistance constitutes a threat to human ing 49); 35-nation draft (A/C.3/43/L.38/Rev.1). orally revised; agenda item 105. life and an offence to human dignity, Sponsors: Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi. Cam- Concerned about the difficulties that victims of natural eroon. Central African Republic. Chad, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Denmark, disasters and similar emergency situations may experi- France, Gabon, Guatemala, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Luxembourg, Malta, Mauritania. Morocco, Nepal, Niger, Philippines, Portugal, Samoa, ence in receiving humanitarian assistance, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Thailand. Togo, United Kingdom, United States, Convinced that, in providing humanitarian assistance, Zaire. in particular the supply of food, medicines or health care, Meeting numbers. GA 43rd session: 3rd Committee 36-38, 42, 46, 49, 50; for which access to victims is essential, rapid relief will plenary 75. avoid a tragic increase in their number, Aware that alongside the action of Governments and intergovernmental organizations, the speed and effi- Office of the UN Disaster ciency of this assistance often depends on the help and Relief Co-ordinator aid of local and non-governmental organizations work- During 1988, UNDRO-the specialized office of ing with strictly humanitarian motives, the United Nations Secretary-General for all Recalling that, in the event of natural disasters and simi- disaster-related matters-continued to cover all lar emergency situations, the principles of humanity, aspects of disaster relief and mitigation (preven- neutrality and impartiality must be given utmost con- sideration by all those involved in providing humanita- tion and preparedness). It was also heavily in- rian assistance, volved in the preparatory work for the Interna- 1. Reaffirms the importance of humanitarian as- tional Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (see sistance for the victims of natural disasters and similar below) and in strengthening its collaborative rela- emergency situations; tionship with UNDP (see above). UNDRO’S or- 2. Reaffirms also the sovereignty of affected States and ganizational structure was adjusted to reflect new their primary role in the initiation, organization, co- requirements. ordination and implementation of humanitarian as- (4) In a report on UNDRO activities in 1988-1989, sistance within their respective territories; 3. Stresses the important contribution made in provid- the Secretary-General discussed major develop- ing humanitarian assistance by intergovernmental and ments concerning the Office as a whole, disaster non-governmental organizations working with strictly relief co-ordination, disaster mitigation (preven- humanitarian motives; tion and preparedness), disaster information and 4. Invites all States in need of such assistance to facili- administration and finance. He noted that UN- tate the work of these organizations in implementing DRO’s limited resources for disaster relief co- humanitarian assistance, in particular the supply of food, ordination were under great strain. Owing to the medicines and health care, for which access to victims increased vulnerability of communities to natural is essential; hazards and other emergencies, the number of dis- 5. Appeals, therefore, to all States to give their sup- port to these organizations working to provide human- asters grew, as well as the magnitude of their itarian assistance, where needed, to the victims of nat- human, economic and social impact. Disaster sit- ural disasters and similar emergency situations; uations in which UNDRO was involved ranged 6. Urges States in proximity to areas of natural dis- from those of short duration to those requiring sus- asters and similar emergency situations, particularly in tained attention over a longer period of time and the case of regions that are difficult to reach, to partici- covered man-made as well as natural disasters. pate closely with the affected countries in international Donor meetings were valuable forums for pre- efforts with a view to facilitating, to the extent possible, senting emergency appeals of countries in need of the transit of humanitarian assistance; 7. Calls upon all the intergovernmental, governmental assistance to the international donor community. and non-governmental organizations dealing with hu- In 1988, UNDRO organized or participated in such manitarian assistance to co-operate as closely as possi- meetings for Mozambique (Maputo, April), An- ble with the Office of the United Nations Disaster Re- gola (Geneva, May) and Bangladesh (New York, lief Co-ordinator or any other ad hoc mechanism set up November). In addition, UNDRO used regular by the Secretary-General in the co-ordination of aid; information meetings to offer government repre- 8. Requests the Secretary-General to seek the views sentatives and intergovernmental and non- of Governments, intergovernmental, governmental and governmental organizations providing emergency non-governmental organizations with regard to the pos- assistance the opportunity to gather and exchange sibility of enhancing the effectiveness of international mechanisms and increasing the speed of assistance in information on specific disaster situations and on the best possible conditions for the victims of natural their financing. disasters and similar emergency situations, where Contributions in 1988 from multilateral and needed, and to report his findings to the General As- bilateral sources and from NGOs and Red Cross sembly at its forty-fifth session; and Red Crescent Societies totalled $1,037 million 384 Economic and social questions for disasters in 25 countries affecting some 85 mil- preparedness lies with the Governments of the affected lion people. Some $626 million of the contribu- countries and recognizing that available resources and tions in 1988 were donated for disasters that oc- efforts are being devoted by the Governments of those curred in Ethiopia, Lebanon, Mozambique and countries towards the alleviation of disaster-related the Sudan prior to that year. problems, Noting the increased number of requests to the Office Major disasters requiring the involvement of of the United Nations Disaster Relief Co-ordinator for UNDRO in 1988 included: earthquakes in Arme- assistance in disaster relief and mitigation and for related nia (USSR), China, India and Nepal; floods in information, Bangladesh, Benin, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Chad, Reaffirming also that shortage of resources has been one China, Cuba, Rwanda, the Sudan and Thailand; of the major constraints on an effective response of the a cyclone in Bangladesh; fires in Burma; hurri- United Nations to disaster situations and continues to canes in Costa Rica, Haiti, Jamaica, Nicaragua hamper the full achievement of a rapid and effective re- and Panama; drought in Djibouti; a typhoon in sponse to the needs of countries affected by disasters and that, if the shortage is to be overcome, efforts will be the Philippines; and displaced persons in the required by the international community to provide both Sudan and Uganda. funds and assistance in kind, A report of the Secretary -General on UNDRO Reaffirming that, within the United Nations system, the activities in 1986 and 1987(5) was submitted to the Office of the United Nations Disaster Relief Co- Economic and Social Council and the General As- ordinator is the focal point for disaster relief matters and sembly in June 1988. therefore should be provided by the donor community, the United Nations and the other organizations of the United Nations system with the support necessary for UNDRO financing it to discharge its responsibilities for disaster relief and U NDRO activities continued to be financed mitigation, mainly from the United Nations regular budget Affirming the necessity of implementing the conclusions and voluntary contributions to a number of trust of the report of the Secretary-General on the implemen- funds administered by the United Nations Disaster tation of General Assembly resolution 41/201, Relief Co-ordinator. 1. Takes note with satisfaction of the report of the (6) Secretary-General on the activities of the Office of the In 1987, the General Assembly had appropri- United Nations Disaster Relief Co-ordinator and of the ated $7,289,400 in UNDRO activities in the 1988- statement made by the Co-ordinator before the Third 1989 biennium. By resolution 43/218 A of 21 De- (Programme and Co-ordination) Committee of the Eco- cember 1988, the Assembly revised that appropri- nomic and Social Council on 7 July 1988; ation to $6,944,800. 2. Emphasises that it is essential for the Office of the United Nations Disaster Relief Co-ordinator to be

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL ACTION placed, and kept, on a sound financial basis, and calls upon the international community to respond positively On 26 July, the Economic and Social Council, and expeditiously to the appeals of the Secretary-General on the recommendation of its Third (Programme for contributions to the United Nations Trust Fund for and Co-ordination) Committee, adopted resolu- Disaster Relief Assistance in order to meet relief needs tion 1988/51 without vote. resulting from natural disasters and other disaster situ- ations; Assistance in cases of natural disaster and 3. Recognizes that activities related to disaster pre- other disaster situations: Office of the paredness and prevention were significantly greater in United Nations Disaster Relief Co-ordinator 1986-1987 than in the previous biennium, and appreci- The Economic and Social Council, ates the good performance of the Office of the United Recalling General Assembly resolution 2816(XXVI) of Nations Disaster Relief Co-ordinator in participating 14 December 1971, by which the Assembly established in strengthening the national emergency services of af- the Office of the United Nations Disaster Relief Co- fected developing countries by providing, inter alia, ad- ordinator and, inter alia, recognized the need to ensure vice and expertise on the utilization of early warning prompt, effective and efficient responses, in times of nat- systems and on the elaboration and implementation of ural disaster and other disaster situations, that would disaster contingency plans for pre-disaster planning and bring to bear the resources of the United Nations sys- the post-disaster period, and in giving assistance to tem, prospective donor countries and voluntary agencies, regional, interregional and global activities on the Recalling also other pertinent resolutions, in particular medium-term and longer-term aspects of disaster miti- General Assembly resolution 41/201 of 8 December 1986, gation; Bearing in mind General Assembly resolution 42/169 of 4. Invites the Secretary-General to request the United 11 December 1987. in which the Assembly decided to Nations Development Programme, in co-operation with designate the 1990$ as a decade in which the interna- the Office of the United Nations Disaster Relief Co- tional community, under the auspices of the United Na- ordinator, to facilitate further the integration of disaster tions, would pay special attention to fostering interna- prevention projects in the planning of national pro- tional co-operation in the field of natural disaster grammes; reduction, 5. Recognizes that at the country level, particularly Reaffirming that the primary responsibility for the ad- in disaster-prone countries, it is important that the or- ministration of disaster relief operations and for disaster ganizations of the United Nations system concerned be Economic assistance, disasters and emergency relief 385 organized, under the resident co-ordinator, in an emer- With some exceptions, the region was not ge&y operations group, in accordance with General As- stricken by any major, climate-induced famines. sembly resolution 36/225 of 17 December 1981, and wel- However, there was a resurgence, after years of comes the practical steps taken by the United Nations dormancy, of the desert locust, which caused ex- Development Programme and the Office of the United tensive damage in the drylands of the region. Nations Disaster Relief Co-ordinator to improve fur- ther their co-operation with Governments and volun- The report covered the main functional areas tary agencies; of UNSO in support of the 22 countries of the 6. Invites the Secretary-General to provide the Of- Sudano-Sahelian region: co-operation with fice of the United Nations Disaster Relief Co-ordinator Governments in planning, co-ordination and with the support necessary for it to continue to provide monitoring at the country level; projects and pro- high-quality service to recipient countries, and to en- grammes; resource mobilization; facilitating inter- courage the organizations of the United Nations sys- national co-ordination; serving as the focal point tem to contribute to this endeavour; of the United Nations for regional organizations, 7. Requests the Secretary-General to include infor- mation on the implementation of the present resolution particularly the Permanent Inter-State Commit- in his next biennial report on the Office, to be submit- tee on Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS) and ted to the General Assembly at its forty-fifth session, the Intergovernmental Authority for Drought and through the Economic and Social Council at its second Development (IGADD); and information and pub- regular session of 1990; lic awareness. The report also covered activities 8. Invites the Secretary-General to continue to im- related to drought and desertification control car- plement, by concrete measures, the conclusions of his ried out by other entities within UNDP and sum- report on the implementation of General Assembly reso- marized arrangements to strengthen UNSO's oper- lution 41/201. ating capacity. Economic and Social Council resolution 1988/51 In his annual report covering 1988 UNDP activi- 26 July 1988 Meeting 38 Adopted without vote ties,(8) the Administrator stated that new projects Approved by Third Committee (E/1988/111) without vote, 21 July (meeting and extensions of projects sponsored by UNSO in- 13); draft by Tunisia, for Group of 77 (E/1988/C.3/L.4/Rev.1); agenda item creased by $25 million in 1988, bringing their total 15. value to over $100 million at the end of the year.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY ACTION Programmes ranged from large-scale integrated land management projects in the Niger and the On 20 December, by decision 43/447, the Sudan to afforestation and fuelwood plantation General Assembly endorsed Council resolution projects in Ethiopia and the Sudan, and sand-dune 1988/51. fixation and alternative energy projects in Cape Verde and Somalia. UNSO also assisted CILSS with an environmental education project and IGADD Disaster relief efforts with study tours. Drought-stricken areas Funds mobilized by UNSO for desertification control through the end of 1988 reached $103.6 Sudano-Sahelian region million. The United Nations Sudano-Sahelian Office (UNSO) continued in 1988, under UNDP supervi- UNDP Council action. On 1 July, the UNDP Governing Council, having considered the Ad- sion, to assist countries in drought preparedness, (10) recovery and rehabilitation, and medium- to long- ministrator’s report on UNSO’s 1987 activities, term development, and in implementing the 1977 encouraged the Administrator to capitalize on Plan of Action to Combat Desertification (see also UNSO’s experience and potential regarding en- PART THREE, Chapter VIII). vironmental issues in the context of the follow-up In a report to the UNDP Governing Council on by UNDP of the 1987 General Assembly resolu- (7) UNSO activities during 1988, the UNDP Ad- tion(11) on the report of the World Commission on ministrator stated that climatic and related de- Environment and Development. It renewed its ap- velopments in the Sudano-Sahelian countries in peal to Governments, organizations and in- 1988 generally improved. Many countries dividuals to contribute to UNSO’s general benefited from higher rainfall, although in some resources and earmarked projects, and to make use cases, particularly the Sudan, the rains had ex- of its services. tremely damaging consequences. While agricul- UNCTAD action. The UNCTAD secretariat ture was expected to fare better in terms of higher submitted a report in July 1988 to the Trade and yields, medium- and long-term prospects regard- Development Board on the drought and the ex- ing protection of productive resources had not im- ternal trade of the countries members of (12) proved. For example, flooding in the Sudan was IGADD IGADD comprised six countries- aggravated by the poor soil and water-retention Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, the Sudan capacity in the catchment areas of the Blue Nile. and Uganda-all of which, except Kenya, were 386 Economic and social questions least developed countries (LDCs). The report ber 1988, with winds of up to 125 miles per hour. described IGADD's institutional background, the The hurricane moved across Jamaica from east to drought and environmental conditions, the exter- west, tearing off roofs and destroying crops, vege- nal trade of IGADD members, action taken by tation and infrastructure. At least 500,000 people them, and international support and related were left homeless and damage was estimated at measures. over $800 million. Other Caribbean islands, nota- As to bases for future action, the report high- bly Guadeloupe, Martinique, Puerto Rico and lighted some domestic policy measures and inter- Saint Lucia, also suffered damage to infrastructure national support that would help to streamline the and plantations. effectiveness of the external sector of IGADD An alert was issued to the international com- countries. munity on 12 September and was followed on the On 5 October,(13) the Trade and Development same day by a report containing a preliminary as- Board asked the UNCTAD Secretary-General to sessment of damage. UNDRO dispatched the Man- transmit the report, together with views of dele- ager of the Pan-Caribbean Disaster Preparedness gations, to the IGADD secretariat and to interna- and Prevention Project from Antigua to Jamaica tional organizations and agencies, including to assist the authorities and the UNDP/UNDRO UNDP. The IGADD secretariat was asked to keep Resident Representative in co-ordinating relief UNCTAD informed of developments in the exter- efforts. nal trade of its members and the UNCTAD In a 19 September letter,(15) Jamaica appealed secretariat was asked to continue to assist IGADD to the international community for support and members. assistance in view of the magnitude of the disaster. In his annual report covering 1988,(16) the ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL ACTION UNDP Administrator stated that multilateral and On 7 July, a UNDP representative reported bilateral donor response to Jamaica’s appeal for orally to the Economic and Social Council’s Third assistance resulted in the shipment of building Committee on assistance to the drought-stricken materials, medicines, fertilizers and other areas of Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, the materials for emergency relief and longer-term re- Sudan and Uganda. On 26 July, by decision habilitation. Following Jamaica’s request for UNDP 1988/158, the Council took note of the report. assistance in the financial management and track- ing of goods and services delivered, a computer- Storms and floods ized emergency information and management sys- tem was installed to provide the Government with Treacherous weather took a serious toll in many parts of the world during 1988. In August and Sep- a monitoring and follow-up capacity. tember, flood waters in Bangladesh affected 45 mil- lion people out of a total population of 110 mil- GENERAL ASSEMBLY ACTION lion. The official death toll was 1,664 persons. The On 18 October, the General Assembly adopted Sudan was also devastated by torrential rains and resolution 43/7 without vote. widespread floods. In Jamaica, a severe hurricane devastated the Emergency assistance to Jamaica island in September, causing extensive damage The General Assembly, and destruction to property, agriculture and infra- Recalling its resolution 42/169 of 11 December 1987 on structure. In Nicaragua, a severe hurricane in Oc- an international decade for natural disaster reduction, tober caused widespread damage to property and Deeply distressed by the number of afflicted persons and disrupted its economic activities. the destruction wrought by hurricane Gilbert which, on UNCTAD action. On 5 October,(14) the Trade 12 September 1988, struck the island of Jamaica, and Development Board requested the UNCTAD Conscious of the efforts of the Government and people secretariat to study the impact of floods and cy- of Jamaica to save lives and alleviate the sufferings of clones on the medium- and long-term economic the victims of the hurricane, growth and development of the affected develop- Noting the enormous effort that will be required to al- ing countries, particularly LDCs, and to identify leviate the grave situation caused by this natural disaster, requirements for the resumption and maintenance Conscious also of the prompt response being made by of a modest pace of sustained growth and devel- Governments, international agencies, non-governmental opment of their economies. organizations and private individuals to provide emer- gency relief, Recognizing that the magnitude of the disaster and its Hurricane in Jamaica long-term effects will require, as a complement to the (4) In his report on UNDRO activities, the effort being made by the people and Government of Secretary-General stated that a major hurricane- Jamaica. a demonstration of international solidarity and hurricane Gilbert-struck Jamaica on 12 Septem- humanitarian concern to ensure broad multilateral Economic assistance, disasters and emergency relief 387 co-operation in order to meet the immediate emergency pledged; after the meeting some $500 million be- situation in the affected areas, as well as to undertake came available. the process of reconstruction, 1. Expresses its solidarity and support to the Government GENERAL ASSEMBLY ACTION and people of Jamaica; 2. Expresses its appreciation to the States, international On 18 October, the General Assembly adopted agencies and non-governmental organizations that are resolution 43/9 without vote. providing emergency relief to that country; 3. Calls upon all States to contribute generously to Short-term, medium-term and long-term solutions to the relief and reconstruction efforts in the affected areas; the problems of natural disasters in Bangladesh 4. Requests the Secretary-General, in collaboration The General Assembly, with the international financial institutions and the bod- Recalling its resolution 40/231 of 17 December 1985 fol- ies and agencies of the United Nations system, to assist lowing the disastrous cyclone that struck Bangladesh in the Government of Jamaica in identifying the emer- 1985, gency, medium-term and long-term needs and in Recalling also its resolution 42/169 of 11 December 1987 mobilizing resources, as well as to help with the task on an international decade for natural disaster reduction, of reconstruction of the country undertaken by the Noting with concern the devastating consequences of the Government. recent floods in Bangladesh, the worst in living mem- ory, that have caused significant loss of life, un- General Assembly resolution 43/7 precedented human suffering to tens of millions of 18 October 1988 Meeting 33 Adopted without vote stranded and homeless people subjected to hunger and 57-nation draft (A/43L.5 & Add.1): agenda item 149. water-borne disease and incalculable damage to crops, Sponsors: Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda. Argentina, Bahamas, Bangladesh. livestock, communications and infrastructure, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Cameroon. Canada, Chile Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba. Democratic Yemen, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Taking note of the statement made on 10 October 1988 El Salvador, Ethiopia. Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, by the representative of Bangladesh, in which he elabo- Honduras, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar. Malaysia, rated the details of these concerns, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique. Netherlands, Nigeria, Panama, Peru, Philip- pines, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grena- Deeply conscious of the macro-economic impact of such dines, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal. Sudan, Suriname, Trinidad and calamities, which constitutes an insurmountable bur- Tobago, Tunisia, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela. den on the economy and development plans of a least Zimbabwe. developed country like Bangladesh, causing irrecover- able set-back in growth and necessitating extremely dif- Floods in Bangladesh ficult adjustment, and that the cost of damage inflicted (4) In his report on UNDRO activities, the by such catastrophes often exceeds the net inflow of de- Secretary-General stated that unusually heavy velopment assistance, rainfall between 20 and 28 August led to peak flood Recognizing the strenuous efforts of the Government levels of the Brahmaputra, Ganges and Meghna and people of Bangladesh to save lives, to alleviate the rivers in Bangladesh in early September. By mid- suffering and hardship suffered by the victims of the September, flood waters covered 53 districts of a floods and to initiate urgent recovery measures, includ- ing immediate relief and rehabilitation measures, total of 64; 45 million people out of a population Recognizing also that the magnitude of the damage and of 110 million were directly affected and enormous devastation is beyond the ability of Bangladesh alone damage was done to crops, and transport and com- to rectify or to meet, requiring national efforts to be sup- munications systems. An inter-agency mission plemented by sustained international financial and tech- visited Bangladesh from 13 to 18 September to as- nical assistance over the long term, sess the damage and identify priority relief needs. Emphasizing in this connection the importance of meas- In a 10 October note verbale to the Secretary- ures noted in the report of the Secretary-General on spe- General,(17) Bangladesh appealed for interna- cial economic and disaster relief assistance to Ban- tional assistance. A Special Meeting on Assistance gladesh, submitted to the General Assembly at its to Bangladesh (New York, 16 November) had be- forty-first session, Aware that Bangladesh is particularly vulnerable to fore it the report of the Joint Task Force of the recurrent disasters that have the potential of becoming Government of Bangladesh and the United Na- (18) annual visitations of destruction far beyond its capac- tions on the 1988 floods. It estimated the extent ity either to control or to effectively mitigate, of damage caused by the floods, its macro- Conscious of the fact that international assistance and economic and social impact and immediate sup- investment over time are required to mitigate and pre- ply requirements. The report also assessed dam- vent the consequences of such disasters, age following the recession of flood waters and out- Noting with appreciation the support and solidarity dis- lined the Government’s reconstruction and played by the countries of South Asia in assisting Ban- rehabilitation plans. Disaster preparedness and gladesh in the immediate aftermath of the floods, flood control strategies were also discussed. Welcoming the efforts of the Government of Bangladesh, initiated at the highest level, to strengthen bilateral co- The Secretary-General stated that the value of operation with concerned countries of the region through Bangladesh’s reconstruction needs was assessed by the establishment of task forces of experts to study and the Joint Task Force at over $1 billion. Before the make recommendations for flood management and 16 November meeting, $200 million of interna- water flows and to find durable solutions to the prob- tional assistance had been made available or lems in these areas, 388 Economic and social questions

Expressing the hope that these multiple bilateral ap- Ethiopia, Gambia, Gabon, Grenada, Guinea, Iraq, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Lesotho, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritania, proaches will strengthen co-operation, co-ordination and Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Pakistan, Panama. convergence of mutual interests leading to practical ar- Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, rangements to promote solutions for the assessment, Senegal, Somalia. Sri Lanka. Sudan. Swaziland. Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania. prediction, prevention and mitigation of natural disasters Meeting numbers. GA 43rd session: plenary 25, 33. and to joint approaches for a permanent solution, Recognizing the responsibility of the United Nations sys- Emergencies in China tem to facilitate studies at the request of concerned Governments, including those of natural disasters of a Floods, hailstorms, a typhoon and an earth- geophysical origin, to improve capacities of countries to quake ravaged several provinces of China during (4) mitigate the effects of natural disasters, to foster scien- 1988. In his report on UNDRO activities, the tific and engineering endeavours to close critical gaps Secretary-General stated that there had been in knowledge, to disseminate existing and new informa- floods in Fujiang province in May, hailstorms and tion and to develop measures for prediction, prevention rainstorms in Heilongjiang province, floods and and mitigation of natural disasters through programmes a typhoon in Zhejiang province and floods in of technical assistance and technology transfer, Aware that considerable expertise and technical capa- Shanxi province, all in August, and earthquakes bilities are available within the organizations of the in Yunnan province in November. The United Nations system to strengthen preparedness and UNDP/UNDRO Resident Representative, in co- prevention capabilities of disaster-prone countries operation with government authorities, transmit- through the promotion of a long-term and effective so- ted detailed reports. UNDRO issued 17 informa- lution of the problems caused by natural disasters, tion reports during the year and promptly 1. Expresses its gratitude to Member States, interna- provided $30,000 in cash grants to bridge the gap tional organizations within and outside the United Na- until the arrival of other assistance. Australia, tions system, non-governmental organizations and in- Canada and the Netherlands channelled their con- dividuals and groups that have so generously assisted the Government of Bangladesh in its immediate relief tributions through UNDRO and UNDP. Contribu- and rehabilitation efforts; tions reported to UNDRO in 1988 amounted to 2. Expresses its deep appreciation to the Secretary-General $3.2 million. for the urgent steps he has taken to mobilize humanita- rian assistance and, through the appointment of the Hurricane in Nicaragua, United Nations Disaster Relief Co-ordinator as his Spe- Costa Rica, Panama and other countries cial Representative, to co-ordinate activities of the United Nations agencies in the field for purposeful and Between 22 and 25 October 1988, hurricane Joan unified assistance by the international community; struck Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama and other 3. Appeals to all Member States, specialized agen- countries of the region. The Secretary-General re- cies in the field and other organs and bodies of the ported(4) that, in Nicaragua, early warnings led to United Nations system, as well as international eco- the evacuation of some 300,000 people. UNDRO nomic and financial institutions, to respond urgently and launched an appeal and issued 13 reports between generously in sustaining development assistance to Ban- October and December 1988 on the emergency. The gladesh, particularly in its plans and programmes for value of relief contributions reported to UNDRO to- longer-term rehabilitation and reconstruction; talled some $32 million. In response to the UNDRO 4. Requests relevant organizations and bodies of the United Nations system and other multilateral organi- appeal, Canada and the United Kingdom trans- zations to take appropriate measures to provide assistance ferred cash contributions, which were used to buy to Bangladesh to strengthen its capacity to assess, pre- zinc sheets and motor saws locally. An UNDRO dict, prevent and mitigate natural disasters, particularly emergency grant of $25,000 was used on a cost- assistance for disaster preparedness and prevention pro- sharing basis with UNDP to provide household uten- grammes and to implement its plans and programmes sils and medical equipment. for seeking a long-term and effective solution of the prob- lems caused by floods and other natural disasters; 5. Requests the Secretary-General, through the Of- GENERAL ASSEMBLY ACTION fice of the United Nations Disaster Relief Co-ordinator On 28 October, the General Assembly adopted and in co-operation with other relevant agencies of the resolution 43/17 without vote. United Nations system, to assist the Government of Ban- gladesh in preparing its own feasibility plan to meet such Emergency assistance to Nicaragua, exigencies; Costa Rica, Panama and other countries 6. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the affected by hurricane Joan General Assembly at its forty-fourth session on the im- The General Assembly, plementation of the present resolution. Recalling its resolutions 42/169 of 11 December 1987 on an international decade for natural disaster reduc- General Assembly resolution 43/9 tion and 35/56 of 5 December 1980, the annex to which 18 October 1988 Meeting 33 Adopted without vote contains the International Development Strategy for the 56-nation draft (A/43/L.10/Rev.1) & Add.1); agenda item 151. Third United Nations Development Decade, Sponsors: Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bar- bados. Belize. Burkina Faso. Burundi. Cameroon. Canada, Cape Verde. Deeply concerned by the large number of afflicted per- Chad, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Democratic Yemen. Djibouti. sons and also by the destruction caused by hurricane Economic assistance, disasters and emergency relief 389

Joan, which between 22 and 25 October 1988 struck Nic- excluding supplies for which no monetary value aragua, Costa Rica, Panama and other countries of the was indicated. region, Aware of the efforts of the Governments and peoples of the region to save lives and alleviate the suffering of GENERAL ASSEMBLY ACTION the victims of hurricane Joan, On 18 October, the General Assembly adopted Aware also of the enormous effort that will be required resolution 43/8 without vote. to alleviate the grave situation caused by this natural disaster, Emergency assistance to the Sudan Welcoming the prompt response of the Governments, The General Assembly, the organs, organizations and specialized agencies of the Recalling its resolutions 35/56 of 5 December 1980, the United Nations system and also of the international and annex to which contains the International Development regional agencies, the non-governmental organizations Strategy for the Third United Nations Development and the private individuals that are providing emergency Decade, and 42/169 of 11 December 1987 on an inter- relief, national decade for natural disaster reduction, Recognizing that the magnitude of the disaster and its Recalling also the Substantial New Programme of Ac- medium- and long-term effects will require, as a com- tion for the 1980s for the Least Developed Countries, plement to the efforts being made by the peoples and in particular the section concerning disaster assistance Governments of Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama and for least developed countries, other countries of the region, a demonstration of inter- Deeply concerned by the extensive and unprecedented national solidarity and humanitarian concern to trig- damage and devastation in the Sudan caused by tor- ger broad multilateral co-operation in order to meet the rential rain and floods in August 1988, immediate emergency situation in the affected areas and Extremely concerned about the destruction of hundreds initiate the process of reconstruction, of thousands of buildings and dwellings and by the fact 1. Expresses its solidarity and support to Nicaragua, Costa that large sectors of the nation’s infrastructure have been Rica, Panama and other countries of the region affected completely disrupted, in particular, roads, railway lines, by the natural disaster; water supplies, electricity supplies, hospitals and health 2. Expresses its gratitude to all the States of the inter- centres, schools and other public utilities and commu- national community, the international agencies and the nication systems, non-governmental organizations that are providing Considering that over 120,000 hectares of cultivated land emergency relief to the affected countries; and over 7,000 small farmers’ schemes were inundated, 3. Urges all the States of the international commu- and about 600 villages and islands have completely dis- nity, as a matter of urgency, to contribute generously appeared and thereby over 1.5 million persons were left to the relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in without shelter or food, the affected areas; Fully cognizant of the economic difficulties already faced 4. Expresses its appreciation to the Secretary-General for by the Sudan, particularly resulting from its high level the steps taken to co-ordinate and mobilize the relief, of indebtedness and compounded further by a massive rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts; influx of refugees and 2 million displaced persons, 5. Requests the Secretary-General, in close collabo- Recognizing that the Sudan has shouldered the major ration with the Governments of Nicaragua, Costa Rica, part of the burden in dealing with the disasters, but that Panama and the affected countries of the region, and the magnitude of devastation and damage is far beyond the international financial institutions, organs, organi- the means and abilities of the Sudan alone to rectify, zations and specialized agencies of the United Nations Reaffirming the need for the international community system to assist those countries in mobilizing the addi- to respond fully to requests for emergency humanita- tional financial resources necessary for the implemen- rian assistance as well as rehabilitation and reconstruc- tation of the medium- and long-term plans and pro- tion of a least developed country, facing grave and com- grammes of rehabilitation and reconstruction. pounded disaster situations, Noting with appreciation the response to date of various General Assembly resolution 43/17 countries and intergovernmental and non-governmental 28 October 1988 Meeting 40 Adopted without vote organizations in emergency relief operations, 26-nation draft (A/43/L.19 & Corr.1); agenda item 152. Noting that the Secretary-General has sent an inter- Sponsors: Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia. Brazil, Chile, Co- lombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Grenade, agency mission to the Sudan to assess emergency con- Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico. Nicaragua. Panama, ditions and that a United Nations Development Pro- Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela. gramme/World Bank multi-donor flood recovery pro- gramme mission is currently in the Sudan, at the request Floods in the Sudan of its Government, to assess the impact of floods and The Secretary-General reported(4) that, on 6 to prepare a two-year reconstruction programme, August 1988, UNDRO issued an appeal on behalf 1. Expresses its solidarity with the Government and people of 2 million people in and around Khartoum, of the Sudan in facing the complex disaster situations; Sudan, made homeless by floods. UNDRO dis- 2. Expresses its gratitude to the States and intergovern- patched two relief co-ordination officers to Khar- mental and non-governmental organizations that ren- dered support and assistance to the Government of the toum to assess needs, monitor contributions and Sudan in its relief and rehabilitation efforts; assist the UNDP resident co-ordinator. By 30 Au- 3. Expresses its appreciation to the Secretary-General for gust, contributions in cash and kind reported the steps he has taken to co-ordinate and mobilize re- directly to UNDRO amounted to over $18.5 million, lief and rehabilitation efforts; 390 Economic and social questions

4. Calls upon all States to contribute generously and semby resolution(20) and a 1987 report of the respond urgently and effectively to the needs of relief Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Or- operations, rehabilitation and reconstruction; ganization of the United Nations (FAO).(21) 5. Requests the Secretary-General, in close co- operation with the Government of the Sudan, to co- ordinate efforts of the United Nations system to help ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL ACTION the Sudan in its emergency, rehabilitation and recon- On 5 February, the Council adopted resolution struction efforts, to mobilize resources for the implemen- 1988/2 without vote. tation of those programmes and to keep the international community informed of those needs; Fight against the locust and grasshopper 6. Also requests the Secretary-General to apprise the infestation in Africa Economic and Social Council at its first regular session The Economic and Social Council, of 1989 of his efforts and to report to the General As- Recalling General Assembly resolution 41/185 of 8 De- sembly at its forty-fourth session on the implementa- cember 1986 on the fight against locust and grasshop- tion of the present resolution. per infestation in Africa, Concerned about the unrelentingly destructive effects General Assembly resolution 42/8 of the current locust and grasshopper infestation in many 18 October 1988 Meeting 33 Adopted without vote regions of Africa, 40-nation draft (A/43/L.9 & Add.1); agenda item 150. 1. Calls upon the international community to give high Sponsors: Algeria, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, priority to the fight against the locust and grasshopper Cuba. Democratic Yemen, Djibouti. Ecuador, Egypt. Ethiopia. Gambia, infestation in Africa, in particular the new infestation Guinea-Bissau, Jamaica, Jordan. Kenya, Kuwait. Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mauritania. Mexico, Mozambique, Pakistan, Peru, of several regions in Mauritania; Philippines, Qatar, Romania. Rwanda. Sao Tome and Principe, Somalia, 2. Invites the Director-General of the Food and Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tunisia, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Repub- Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to re- lic of Tanzania, Yemen. port to the Economic and Social Council at its second regular session of 1988 on the situation of the locust and Other disasters grasshopper infestation in Africa. Earthquake in Nepal Economic and Social Council resolution 1988/2 The UNDP Administrator reported that, on 5 February 1988 Meeting 4 Adopted without vote the morning of 21 August 1988, an earthquake 2-nation draft (E/1988/L.15). orally revised; agenda item 3. Sponsors: Iraq, Mauritania. measuring 6.7 on the Richter scale shook remote mountainous regions of central and eastern Nepal. On 24 May, the Council adopted resolution The earthquake killed more than 700 people and 1988/3 without vote. caused widespread damage to homes, roads, bridges, and drinking-water and irrigation Fight against the locust and grasshopper systems. infestation in Africa The Economic and Social Council, Through the efforts of UNDRO and the UNDP Recalling General Assembly resolution 41/185 of 8 De- Resident Representative, who was asked by the cember 1986 and Council resolution 1988/2 of 5 Febru- Government to co-ordinate the external relief ef- ary 1988, forts, $3.6 million was mobilized for emergency Deeply concerned at the magnitude and gravity of the relief and an assessment was made of needs for present locust and grasshopper infestation in Africa, longer-term rehabilitation. Alarmed by the unrelentingly destructive effects of the locust and grasshopper infestation on many African countries, Earthquake in the USSR Fully aware (4) of the urgent need to spare no effort to The Secretary-General reported that, on 7 counter and eradicate the infestation, as well as the need December 1988, an earthquake of 6.9 on the to take adequate preventive measures against future out- Richter scale hit the northern part of the Soviet breaks, Socialist Republic of Armenia. Some 24,593 lives Noting that the resources of Africa are insufficient to were lost and more than 8,000 people were par- control the infestation. which will need to be countered tially or fully disabled. The Government estimated by concerted efforts at the national, regional and inter- national levels, that about half a million people were left home- 1. Expresses its deep concern at the worsening desert lo- less. Economic damage was estimated at between cust and grasshopper infestation in Africa, which may $21 billion and $33 billion. Total foreign relief aid adversely affect food production and cause renewed fam- from 74 countries was the highest reported to ine, and reaffirms the need to accord the highest pri- UNDRO for a single natural disaster. ority to locust and grasshopper control and eradication; 2. Notes with appreciation the efforts of affected coun- Locust and grasshopper infestation in Africa tries, donors and regional and international organiza- tions, in particular the Food and Agriculture Organi- At each of its three sessions in 1988, the Eco- zation of the United Nations, acting individually and nomic and Social Council discussed the continu- jointly, to contain the infestation; ing locust and grasshopper infestation in Africa, 3. Urges donors to increase financial and technical which had been the subject of a 1986 General As- assistance for current and future programmes of locust Economic assistance, disasters and emergency relief 391 and grasshopper control, in keeping with the increased UNDP, and appealed to other sources of financ- requirements of the evolving situation; ing, to provide countries affected with resources 4. Calls upon the international community to support to cope with the outbreaks of desert locusts and fully the locust and grasshopper control activities un- grasshoppers and to contain expected infestations. dertaken by African countries, including the gathering UNDP and other sources of financing were invited and dissemination of information and prevention, co- ordination and funding activities, as well as the strength- to provide those countries with resources to en- ening and establishment of national, regional and in- able them to devise and implement a regional ternational early warning systems for the monitoring strategy to control the locust scourge with a view of locust and grasshopper infestations; to its eventual eradication. The Council requested 5. Supports the efforts of the Maghreb countries UNDP regional offices involved in the light against within the framework of their joint programme of co- locust and grasshopper infestation to co-ordinate ordination to fight against locust and grasshopper in- their activities closely with the affected countries festation, and invites those countries willing to partici- and/or the appropriate international, regional and pate in the eradication of that scourge to contribute subregional organizations, with a view to obtain- resources to the common fund established for that pur- ing effective control of the infestations while safe- pose by the Governments of Algeria, the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia; guarding the environment. It invited donor coun- 6. Invites the Director-General of the Food and tries to continue to provide the affected countries Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, in close with the necessary products, equipment and co-operation with the relevant organizations of the aircraft. United Nations system, to undertake an assessment of FAO report. In response to the 24 May request the prevailing techniques used in the fight against lo- by the Economic and Social Council (see above), cust and grasshopper infestation, with a view to iden- (24) tifying and applying more effective and environmen- the Secretary-General, in October, transmitted tally sound methods; to the General Assembly a report by the Director- 7. Invites the appropriate bodies, organizations and General of FAO on the desert locust plague in programmes of the United Nations system to give the Africa. The report stated that, during 1988, the necessary priority, in their regular activities, to the tight desert locust situation had further deteriorated des- against the locust and grasshopper infestation in Africa; pite large-scale campaigns in many countries. In 8. Requests the Secretary-General, in consultation March, there was a major swarm invasion of with the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture north-west Africa, followed by a southward move- Organization of the United Nations, to take the neces- ment of swarms from spring breeding there into sary measures in this regard; the Sahelian zone in March-much earlier than 9. Invites the Director-General of the Food and foreseen. Also, notwithstanding the spraying of Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to keep the situation under constant review and to strengthen over 5 million hectares in north-west Africa, fur- that organization’s capabilities with regard to the over- ther swarms reached the Sahelian countries be- all co-ordination of the Emergency Centre for Locust tween May and July, many of which moved east, Operations; reaching Chad and the Sudan in May and north- 10. Requests the Secretary-General to transmit to the ern Ethiopia in late July. In addition, widespread General Assembly at its forty-third session the text of and abundant monsoon rainfall provided favour- the report of the Director-General of the Food and able breeding conditions. The total invasion area Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to be thus extended from Senegal and Mauritania to the made to the Council at its second regular session of 1988. Sudan, Ethiopia, Djibouti and Yemen, covering Economic and Social Council resolution 1988/3 an area of some 8 million square kilometres. 24 May 1988 Meeting 12 Adopted without vote Aerial and ground campaigns had been con- Draft by Denmark, France, Germany, Federal Republic of, Italy, Norway, Por- ducted against all major infestations south of the tugal, Somalia (for African States). Spain, United Kingdom (E/1988/L.25), Sahara with two objectives in mind-limitation of orally revised; agenda item 1. Meeting numbers. ESC 6, 11, 12. damage to agricultural crops and the destruction of as many infestations as possible to reduce a fur- On 18 July, a representative of FAO made an ther spread. Through its Emergency Centre for oral report to the Council’s First (Economic) Com- Locust Operations, FAO continued to co-ordinate mittee on the locust and grasshopper situation in the control campaign and, together with the af- Africa. By decision 1988/177 of 29 July, the fected countries, analysed the development of the Council took note of FAO's oral report. situation, evaluated the needs and worked closely UNDP action. On 1 July, the UNDP Gov- with donors to ensure support. Although those ac- erning Council endorsed an interregional project tivities were focused on emergency operations, it on locust and grasshopper control.(23) The two- was recognized that further research was neces- year project, to be executed by FAO with UNDP fi- sary to improve methods of locust survey and con- nancing of $3.3 million, would provide emergency trol, to find alternative control methods and to ac- assistance to meet short and intermediate needs celerate longer-term predictions. Unless the for desert locust control. The Council urged weather became less suitable for locusts, the plague 392 Economic and social questions would continue to threaten the livelihood of concerned at the economic and social consequences, in- hundreds of millions of people in over 50 coun- cluding the reduction in agricultural output, which could tries. (See also PART SEVEN, Chapter III.) continue for several years, the consequent displacement of affected populations and, in particular, the impact on the ecological environment and on medium- and GENERAL ASSEMBLY ACTION long-term economic and social development, On 20 December, on the recommendation of the Convinced that since, of the total area to be treated, only Second Committee, the General Assembly a small portion of the infested areas in Africa have adopted resolution 43/203 without vote. benefited from locust and grasshopper control cam- paigns, it can be expected, given the extreme serious- International strategy for the fight ness of the current situation, that the cycle of invasion against locust grasshopper will last beyond 1989 for a minimum period of live years, infestation. particularly in Africa during which it can be predicted that the plague will The General Assembly intensify and extend to areas that were previously Recalling its resolution 41/185 of 8 December 1986 and spared, taking note of Economic and Social Council resolution Aware that current campaigns for locust and grasshop- 1988/3 of 24 May 1988 concerning the fight against lo- per control have so far been unable to put an end to cust and grasshopper infestation in Africa, the infestation, in particular because of the limited finan- Taking note also of Economic and Social Council reso- cial resources of the affected countries, and convinced lution 1988/2 of 5 February 1988, in which the Council that the fight against the plague, which, by virtue of its drew particular attention to the critical situation in one recurrent nature and geographical extent, is interna- of the regions where the locust and grasshopper infesta- tional in scope, requires increased and co-ordinated tion had originated, mobilization of appropriate human, scientific, techni- Recalling its resolutions S-13/2 of 1 June 1986 on the cal, material and financial resources, United Nations Programme of Action for African Eco- Noting with satisfaction the readiness of donor countries nomic Recovery and Development 1986-1990 and 41/29 resolutely to support action to fight locust and grass- of 31 October 1986 on the emergency situation in Africa, hopper infestation, in the knowledge that the resources in which it recognized that food production on that con- of the affected countries and the emergency operations tinent must be increased to meet the needs of its popu- are not in themselves adequate to halt the plague on a lations, lasting basis, Aware that, in its resolution 42/169 of 11 December Conscious of the urgent need to define an effective 1987 on an international decade for natural disaster strategy for fighting the locust and grasshopper peril reduction, it had included grasshopper and locust in- while protecting the health of the populations concerned festations among the types of natural disasters to be cov- and the natural ecosystems, ered by the decade, Bearing in mind the recommendations of the Interna- Taking note of resolution CM/Res.1173(XLVIII) on lo- tional Conference on the Locust Plague, held at Fez, cust control in Africa, adopted by the Council of Morocco, on 28 and 29 October 1988,b Ministers of the Organization of African Unity at its l. Takes note with interest of the report of the Director- forty-eighth ordinary session, held at Addis Ababa from General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of a 19 to 23 May 1988, the United Nations on the desert locust plague in Africa; Deeply concerned at the exceptional seriousness and the 2. Expresses its deep concern at the worsening locust and potential and real dangers of the current locust and grasshopper infestations, especially in Africa, which may grasshopper infestation, particularly in Africa, despite adversely affect food production and result in renewed the laudable efforts of the affected countries. with the famine, and reaffirms the need to accord the highest pri- assistance of the international community, as recognized ority to locust and grasshopper control and eradication; in the report of the Director-General of the Food and 3. Notes with appreciation the efforts of the affected coun- Agriculture Organization of the United Nations on the tries and expresses its gratitude to donor countries, or- desert locust plague in Africa, ganizations of the United Nations system and other com- Aware that, in the course of the current infestation, petent institutions in their efforts to contain the infestation, swarms of locusts and grasshoppers have affected or may in particular the Emergency Centre for Locust Opera- invade the great majority of African countries and other tions of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the countries in Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean and United Nations, the Joint Anti-Locust and Anti-Avarian Europe, and concerned at the disastrous consequences Organization, the Desert Locust Control Organization that may result for food production and agriculture in for East Africa and the Joint Committee of Mahgreb Ex- the world, perts on Locust and Grasshopper Control; Taking into account, in that context, the potential prob- 4. Invites all countries recently threatened by the in- lem created by billions of insects capable of devouring vasion of desert locusts to take all appropriate measures as much as 80,000 tons of vegetation and cereal crops to develop their own national means of protection against per swarm daily, of migrating great distances from their locusts and grasshoppers and to contribute to the im- original habitat and of obliterating the livelihood of plementation of regional infestation control pro- hundreds of millions of people in some sixty countries, grammes, and encourages the affected countries to con- as stated in the status reports of the Food and Agricul- tinue their efforts in that area; ture Organization of the United Nations, Alarmed by the unrelentingly destructive effects of the current invasion of locusts and grasshoppers in many a A/43/398. countries of Africa and other geographical regions, and bA/C.2/43/9. Economic assistance, disasters and emergency relief 393

5. Calls upon the donor countries and organizations locust and grasshopper infestation, with particular refer- to continue to assist the affected countries to strengthen ence to the scope of research programmes on its bio- their control capacities by making available to them, par- logical, bio-climatic and chemical aspects and on the ticularly at the current critical stage, inter alia, reconnais- risks of mutation that might make locusts more resis- sance and spraying aircraft, means of transport and liai- tant to insecticides or to the effects of climate; son, degradable insecticides, spraying equipment, and, 13. Also requests the Secretary-General, in co- where necessary, specialized technicians, and to continue operation with the Director-General of the Food and this assistance as long as the infestation lasts; Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, to con- 6. Calls upon the international community, particu- sult with Member States and competent organizations larly the developed countries, to support fully the lo- concerning the establishment, under the auspices of the cust and grasshopper control activities undertaken at United Nations and the technical and organizational the national and regional levels by the affected coun- responsibility of the Food and Agriculture Organization tries, particularly in Africa, specifically in the areas of of the United Nations, of an international operational data collection and dissemination of information, entity operating at the regional or subregional levels to prevention, co-ordination and funding, the establish- provide direct support to the countries affected and to ment of national and regional early warning systems, undertake co-ordinated actions to control locusts and and the strengthening of existing national systems for grasshoppers, particularly in regions that are seriously the protection of plant life; infested and/or to which access is difficult; 7. Invites the international community, particularly 14. Requests the Director-General of the Food and the developed countries, to help the affected countries Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to es- to improve to a considerable extent the present methods tablish, to that end, a focused and action-oriented work- of monitoring and control and, specifically, to use ing group of representatives of the affected countries, remote-sensing techniques as a means of improving the the donor countries and relevant organizations to pre- quality of meteorological observations and forecasting pare a detailed plan to fight locust and grasshopper in- in the affected countries, particularly in the regions festation, including the necessary modalities and means where locust and grasshopper infestations originate; for the establishment of such an operational entity; 8. Also invites the international community, includ- 15. Agrees that the actions proposed above will be ing the organizations of the United Nations system and financed through extrabudgetary resources and requests specifically the United Nations Development Pro- the Secretary-General, in co-operation with the gramme, to continue to contribute to the funding for Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organi- the establishment of programmes agreed on by the af- zation of the United Nations, to mobilize voluntary con- fected countries for the training of specialized person- tributions, if appropriate through a pledging conference, nel in the modern techniques of locust and grasshop- for the tight against locust and grasshopper infestation; per control; 16. Encourages the Secretary-General to keep under 9. Calls upon the international scientific community review the question of the locust and grasshopper in- to develop co-ordinated research programmes to iden- festation, particularly in Africa, and to undertake, in tify new and more effective methods of control, with a consultation with the Director-General of the Food and view to establishing a reliable forecasting system that Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the would permit a better understanding of the relationship necessary action to make the world community more between climatic phenomena and the bio-ecology of the aware of the disastrous cumulative consequences of lo- desert locust; cust and grasshopper infestation, specifically with re- 10. Requests the Director-General of the Food and spect to food security; Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, in close 17. Decide to include in the provisional agenda of its co-operation with the relevant organizations of the forty-fourth session the question of locust and grasshop- United Nations system, including the United Nations per infestation, particularly in Africa, and requests the Environment Programme, the World Health Organi- Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly zation and the United Nations Development Pro- at that session, through the Economic and Social Coun- gramme, to undertake an assessment of the pesticides cil at its second regular session of 1989, a detailed re- and techniques currently used in the fight against lo- port on the implementation of the provisions of the pres- cust and grasshopper infestation, in particular the bio- ent resolution, including a report of the Director-General logical fight against the reproduction of larvae, and to of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United test the efficacy of those pesticides and techniques, bear- Nations on developments in the fight against locust and ing in mind their effects on the natural environment and grasshopper infestation. the health of the people living in the affected zones; 11. Urges the multilateral financial and development General Assembly resolution 43/203 institutions, including the United Nations Development 20 December 1988 Meeting 83 Adopted without vote Programme, to give high priority, within the framework Approved by Second Committee (A/43/918) without vote, 23 November of their activities, to the tight against locust and grass- (meeting 44); draft by Albania, Argentina, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, hopper infestation and to grant financial and technical Barbados, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa assistance to the affected countries, particularly those Rica, Cuba, Democratic Yemen, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Fiji, France, German Democratic Republic, Germany, Federal which have issued appeals for international assistance Republic of, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, In- or have declared a state of emergency; donesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Lao People’s Democratic 12. Requests the Secretary-General to seek the views Republic, Luxembourg, Malta, Nepal, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Pakistan, of the international ad hoc group of experts established Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portu- gal, Qatar, Romania, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and as part of the preparations for the International Dec- the Grenadines, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, ade for Natural Disaster Reduction on the fight against Sweden, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, United Kingdom, United 394 Economic and social questions

States, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Yemen, Yugoslavia. Zaire (for Afri- can Group) (A/C.2/43/L.41/Rev.1); agenda item 86. in China, an earthquake in the border region of Meeting numbers. GA 43rd session: 2nd Committee 26, 28-30, 36-38, 41, India and Nepal, a landslide in Venezuela and lo- 44; plenary 83. cust infestations in northern Africa, accounted for at least 18,000 deaths and a minimum of $3 bil- lion in material damage. Disaster preparedness and prevention The report gave examples of the potential of In his report on UNDRO acitvites during 1988 4 disaster-mitigation measures for reducing human and 1989,( ) the Secretary-General stated that dis- and material losses and outlined preparations for aster mitigation (prevention and preparedness) ac- the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduc- tivities fell into two broad categories: those of a tech- tion. It noted that the Secretary-General, in February nical and preventive nature involving the scientific 1988, established a steering committee on the Decade and engineering aspects of disaster reduction and to assist him in developing a framework to attain related legislation, including estimating the frequency its objectives and goals. In addition, he appointed and magnitude of future hazards, delineation of a panel of 25 eminent scientists and experts which high-risk areas, identifying restrictions to be placed held two meetings in 1988 (Geneva, 5-8 July; New on land use and urban development in such areas York, 3-6 October). Two additional metings were and reinforcing structures to resist the largest hazards tentatively scheduled for 1989. In March 1988, in that could reasonably be expected; and logistical Washington D.C., the United Nations, in co- planning or preparedness activities involving prepa- operation with the United States National Academy ration of plans for alert and evacuation in the face of Sciences, convened an informal meeting of scien- of imminent danger, as well as for post-disaster rescue tists, engineers and representatives of the United and provision of food and shelter for victims. Related Nations system to review the possible orientation aspects included establishing criteria for decision- of and preparatory arrangements for the Decade. making to implement the elements of the plan, train- Also, on 29 July, the Director-General for Devel- ing local officials and educating the population in opment and International Economic Co-operation high-risk areas. Comprehensive disaster mitigation drew the attention of Member States to the provi- programmes recommended by UNDRO and im- sion of the 1987 Assembly resolution(25) regarding plemented with UNDRO assistance in a number of the establishment of national committees. Govern- countries involved a five-step sequence of activi- ments were asked to provide information on action ties covering those categories. taken towards establishing such committees or other Since 1988 coincided with the preparation phase official bodies for the Decade. The report also com- for the International Decade for Natural Disaster mented on co-operation with non-governmental and Reduction (see below), the period was one of in- intergovernmental organizations and on funding creased world-wide awareness of the benefits of dis- and secretariat support. aster preparedness and prevention, and the num- The report stated that the United Nations sys- ber of requests to UNDRO for assistance increased tem had a critical catalytic and facilitating role in accordingly. The report described regional and na- inspiring and supporting the activities of local com- tional projects carried out during the year. In ad- munities, national authorities, regional organiza- dition to regional workshops and seminars, an in- tions and the international community as a whole. ternational training seminar on engineering aspects It was also called on to become an international of earthquake mitigation was held at Dushanbe, centre for exchanging information, storing documen- USSR, in October. tation and co-ordinating international efforts. Several United Nations entities had a long tradition in International Decade promoting the study of natural disaster phenomena for Natural Disaster Reduction and the application of counter-disaster measures. In response to a 1987 resolution ,(25) in which the Many activities of those entities lent themselves to General Assembly designated the 1990s as a dec- achieving the Decade’s goals and objectives and that ade in which the international community, under experience was being mobilized in the preparations. the auspices of the United Nations, would pay special attention to fostering international co-operation in GENERAL ASSEMBLY ACTION the field of natural disaster reduction, the Secretary- On 20 December, on the recommendation of the General submitted in October 1988 a progress re- Second Committee, the General Assembly adopted port on preparations for the decade. (26), resolution 43/202 without vote. The report noted that it was not possible to es- International Decade for Natural timate the loss of human lives and damage caused Disaster Reduction by natural disasters, especially since many went un- The General Assembly, reported. However, major disasters in 1988 alone, Considering that natural disasters, particularly in the past which included extensive floods in Bangladesh and two decades, have adversely affected the lives of at least the Sudan, a hurricane in the Caribbean, a typhoon 800 million people and caused considerable damage to Economic assistance, disasters and emergency relief 395 infrastructure and property worldwide, especially in de- change of information and the co-ordination of veloping countries, international efforts concerning activities in support of Recalling that in 1988 many countries suffered severe the objective and goals of the Decade, thus enabling each natural disasters, such as the extensive floods in the Member State to benefit from the experience of other Sudan and Bangladesh, typhoons in the Philippines, countries; hurricanes in countries of Latin America and the Carib- 7. Emphasizes the importance of technical co- bean, locust infestations, mainly in Africa, and other operation among developing countries and mutual as- natural disasters in several regions of the developing sistance in the transfer of technology, and encourages world, and recognizing the pressing need for reducing the international community to play a prominent role the impact of natural disasters for all people, in partic- as promoter and catalyst of technical and scientific co- ular those in developing countries, operation among developing countries in the field of nat- Recognising the important responsibility of the United ural disaster reduction; Nations system as a whole for promoting international 8. Expresses its appreciation to those countries which co-operation in the study of natural disasters and in the have provided or pledged voluntary contributions for development of techniques to mitigate risks arising there- the preparation of the report to be submitted to the from, as well as for providing assistance and co- General Assembly at its forty-fourth session pursuant ordinating disaster relief, preparedness and prevention, to paragraph 5 of resolution 42/169, and calls upon other Recalling its resolution 42/169 of 11 December 1987, countries, international organizations and other organi- in which it decided to designate the 1990s as a decade zations to provide voluntary contributions for that in which the international community, under the purpose; auspices of the United Nations, would pay special at- 9. Requests the Secretary-General to bring to the at- tention to fostering international co-operation in the field tention of the international ad hoc group of experts on of natural disaster reduction, the Decade in its future work the increasingly serious Taking note of Economic and Social Council resolution problems of locust infestation and floods; 1988/51 of 26 July 1988 on assistance in cases of natu- 10. Requests the Secretary-General to incorporate in ral disaster and other disaster situations, the report to be submitted pursuant to paragraph 5 of Noting with appreciation the progress that has been made resolution 42/169 a definition of the catalytic and in the preparations for the International Decade for Nat- facilitating role of the United Nations system, includ- ural Disaster Reduction, within the United Nations sys- ing that described in paragraph 6 above, and to submit tem as well as by Member States, since the adoption that report to the General Assembly at its forty-fourth of resolution 42/169, session through the Economic and Social Council, as Weloming the establishment by the Secretary-General requested in resolution 42/169. of the international ad hoc group of experts on the Decade, General Assembly resolution 43/202 Convinced that concerted international action for the 20 December 1988 Meeting 83 Adopted without vote reduction of natural disasters over the course of the 1990s Approved by Second Committee (A/43/918) without vote. 23 November would give genuine impetus to a series of concrete meas- (meeting 44); draft by Austria, Burundi, Chine, Czechoslovakia, France, ures at the national, regional and international levels, Germany Federal Republic of, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Welcoming the fact that national committees on natu- Japan, Mongolia, Poland, Tunisia (for Group of 77), Turkey (A/C.2/43/L.37/Rev.1); agenda item 86. ral disaster reduction have been established in some Meeting numbers. GA 43rd session: 2nd Committee 26, 28-30, 36-38, 40, countries and that preparations for establishing such 44; plenary 83. committees are under way in other countries, 1. Takes note with interest of the progress report of the REFERENCES Secretary-General on the preparations for the Interna- (1)YUN 1987, p, 452, GA dec. 42/433, 11 Dec. 1987. 4 tional Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction; (2)A/43/731. (3)YUN 1987. D. 451. ( )A/45/271-E/1990/78 & 2. Notes with satisfaction the progress made by the in- Corr.1. (5)A/43/375-E/1988/73 & Corr.1. (6)YUN 1987, p. 1106, ternational ad hoc group of experts on the Decade in the GA res. 42/226 A 21 Dec. 1987. (7)DP/1989/50. preparations for the Decade; (8)DP/1989/13,Add.2 (Part II). (9)E/1988/19 (dec. 88/41). 3. Reiterates its request to the Secretary-General, made (10)YUN 1987, p. 453. (11)lbid. p. 679, GA res. 42/187, in paragraph 5 of resolution 42/169, to develop an ap- 11 Dec. 1987. (12)TD/B/1180. (13)A/43/15. vol. II (dec. 5 propriate framework of action at all levels for attaining 361(XXXV)). (14)Ibid. (dec. 362(XXXV)). (1 )A/43/243. the objective and goals referred to in paragraphs 3 and (16)DP/1989/13/Add.l. (17)A/43/245. (18) SG/CONF.4/1. 4 of that resolution; (19)DP/1989/13/Add.2 (Part I). (20)YUN 1986, p.483, GA 4. Requests the Secretary-General further to res. 41/185, 8 Dec. 1986. (2l)YUN 1987, p. 458. (22)E/1988/19 (23)DP/PROJECTS/REC/29 & Corr.1. strengthen co-ordination within the United Nations sys- 4 tem in order to ensure better preparation of the Decade; (2 )A/43/688 (25)YUN 1987, p. 459, GA res. 42/169, 11 5. Calls upon all Governments further to prepare for Dec. 1987. (26)A/43/723. participation during the Decade in concerted interna- tional action for the reduction of natural disasters by, as appropriate, establishing national committees in co- Emergency relief and assistance operation with the relevant scientific and technological communities; 6. Also calls upon Governments to keep the Secretary- General informed of their countries’ plans and of as- Afghanistan sistance that can be provided so that the United Na- Following the signing on 14 April 1988 of the tions may become an international centre for the ex- Geneva Accords between Afghanistan and Paki- 396 Economic and social questions stan on the one hand and by the USSR and the ponents of the programme-food aid and related United States as guarantors on the other, which logistical support; agriculture, irrigation and rural began the peace process in Afghanistan after nine development; health programmes and water sup- years of war (see PART TWO, Chapter III), the ply; human resources and culture; and commu- Secretary-General, on 11 May, appointed Sadrud- nications, industry and natural resources. din Aga Khan as Co-ordinator for United Nations On 24 June, the Afghanistan Emergency Trust Humanitarian and Economic Assistance Pro- Fund, administered by the Co-ordinator, was es- grammes relating to Afghanistan. tablished to receive cash donations. Inputs of food Since 1979, more than 5.5 million people had and other contributions in kind would be routed had to abandon their homes, lands and country directly to the agency or programme concerned, to seek asylum in other countries, particularly Iran with the Co-ordinator being informed of such con- and Pakistan, and more than 2 million had also tributions. fled their homes to the apparent safety of urban 2 centres and remote rural areas. The return of those In his first consolidated report,( ) the Co- displaced persons to their home areas would be ordinator stated that a number of countries one of the world’s largest operations, as it pledged or deposited initial contributions at the amounted to the resettlement of some 45 per cent 14 June Conference and further pledges and con- of Afghanistan’s total population. The war not tributions were received following visits by him to only had caused the reported deaths of almost a a number of donor countries. Those initiatives million people but had resulted in the permanent brought the total donor response to some $97 mil- disablement of tens of thousands. As a conse- lion by 31 August. quence, there were hundreds of thousands of A Pledging Conference on United Nations Hu- widows, orphans and disabled people who would manitarian and Economic Assistance Programmes need care and assistance for years to come. In ad- relating to Afghanistan was held in New York on dition, Afghanistan had suffered extensive dam- 12 October, to which the Co-ordinator submitted age to all sectors of its economy. a report containing background information on 3 On 10 June, the Secretary-General launched an programmes and projects.( ) He noted that the appeal for humanitarian relief and economic as- prolific deployment of mines was one of the most sistance to Afghanistan comprising two phases. damaging aspects of the Afghanistan conflict and The first related to immediate relief and rehabili- that his Office was developing training pro- tation and was allocated an 18-month time frame grammes in mine-clearance and mass public in- with a total cost of some $1.2 billion. The second formation and education in mine-recognition and consisted of longer-term rehabilitation of the coun- avoidance. In response to the need for treatment,, try’s infrastructure covering three years with a cost and rehabilitation of the large number of disabled of some $839.6 million. persons, particularly those suffering from war- On 14 June 1988, a Conference on United Na- related injuries, the Co-ordinator established a tions Humanitarian and Economic Assistance Committee on Actions for Disabled Afghans, the Programmes relating to Afghanistan was held in first meeting of which took place at Geneva on 1 New York. The Conference had before it a report September. The continuing conflict and fluid po- by the Co-ordinator,(1) in which he stated that the litical situation within the country obstructed an co-ordinated programme was a collaborative early return of refugees from Iran and Pakistan. undertaking involving many agencies and pro- The Co-ordinator therefore initiated a series of grammes of the United Nations system. Inter- missions to assess conditions and needs within Af- agency meetings were held in New York on 28 and ghanistan, the first of which took place in late Au- 29 April and at Geneva on 23 May. The Co- gust and early September. He identified a num- ordinator visited the executive heads of FAO, IFAD, ber of projects to be carried out during the first 18 months of the relief and rehabilitation pro- UNDP, the United Nations Children’s Fund gramme and gave estimates of their cost. (UNICEF), the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the World At the Pledging Conference, the Secretary-General Food Programme (WFP) and the World Health and the Co-ordinator launched “Operation Salam”, Organization (WHO) and had consultations with following which donors announced their pledges. the International Committee of the Red Cross and The most important pledge was that of the USSR, the League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Soci- the equivalent of $660 million, mostly in kind. Other eties. At the end of May, he led a mission to the generous pledges were made by a number of donors, region and had discussions with the Governments both at the Conference and in the following weeks. of Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan. The Co- The United States advised the Co-ordinator of its ordinator outlined the programme and his own planned contribution in 1989: $33.1 million in food role, described arrangements required to assist aid to WFP, $20 million to UNHCR and $2 million voluntary repatriation, and discussed other com- for the de-mining programme. Economic assistance, disasters and emergency relief 397

As at 31 December 1988, the total donor response to United Nations agencies, the Lebanese Govern- to the Secretary-General’s appeal amounted to some ment and NGOs. $890 million both in cash and in kind. In order to ensure a co-ordinated and responsi- ble distribution of donations received, the Secretary- ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL ACTION General appointed Ragnar Gudmundsson as Special On 26 July, the Economic and Social Council, Representative for the Reconstruction and Devel- on the recommendation of its Third Committee, opment of Lebanon. He was also appointed the adopted resolution 1988/52 without vote. UNDP Resident Representative/Resident Co- ordinator for operational activities; he assumed his United Nations assistance programmes functions at Beirut in July 1988. relating to Afghanistan Because of the prevailing circumstances in Leb- The Economic and Social Council, Having considered the report of the Co-ordinator for anon, United Nations activities continued to focus United Nations Humanitarian and Economic Assistance on providing emergency relief aid and the main- Programmes relating to Afghanistan made before the tenance of essential services, such as health care Third (Programme and Co-ordination) Committee of and water supply. The report summarized the ac- the Council on 21 July 1988, tivities of the following United Nations programmes Convinced that a co-ordinated programme of assistance and specialized agencies: UNICEF, UNDP, UNDRO, and relief efforts will entail collaborative undertakings UNHCR, WFP, ILO, FAO, UNESCO and WHO. The by many different agencies and programmes within the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon provided United Nations system, humanitarian assistance in its area of operation in 1. Welcomes the initiative of the Secretary-General, and supports the efforts of the Co-ordinator for United order to alleviate emergency needs and the United Nations Humanitarian and Economic Assistance Pro- Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refu- grammes relating to Afghanistan; gees in the Near East assisted Palestine refugees there 2. Urges all Member States to contribute to the fullest (see PART TWO, Chapter IV). extent possible to the United Nations effort to assist the The Secretary-General concluded that relief as- people of Afghanistan; sistance from the international community in re- 3. Requests all specialized agencies and United Na- sponse to his appeal, either through United Na- tions bodies to participate actively in the fulfilment of tions channels or on a bilateral basis, significantly the United Nations humanitarian and economic as- sistance programmes relating to Afghanistan. alleviated the suffering of the Lebanese people. Al- though there were signs of a slight improvement Economic and Social Council resolution 1988/52 in the economic situation in the first half of 1988, 26 July 1988 Meeting 38 Adopted without vote the United Nations would continue its efforts to Approved by Third Committee (E/1988/111) without vote, 21 July (meeting mobilize support in terms of emergency relief aid 131; 21-nation draft (E/1988/C.3/L.101: agenda item 15. Sponsors: Afghanistan, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, and assistance for Lebanon’s reconstruction and France, German Democratic Republic, Greece, India, Iran, Ireland, Japan, development. Norway, Pakistan, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, USSR, United Kingdom, United States. The future economic development of Lebanon and the well-being of its people depended on the Lebanon restoration of peace, stability and mutual trust among In response to a 1987 General Assembly re- the various parties. Circumstances permitting, the quest,(4) the Secretary-General submitted a report Secretary-General intended to send a high-level inter- on assistance for the reconstruction and develop- agency mission to evaluate emergency needs and ment of Lebanon between August 1987 and July might again have to appeal for additional emer- 1988.(5) He summarized the general situation af- gency relief assistance. He called on the parties con- fecting assistance efforts, including the overall per- cerned to promote the restoration of peace and sta- formance of the Lebanese economy. With regard bility in Lebanon. to the role of the United Nations, although the sys- UNDP action. On 1 July,(6) the UNDP Govern- tem had significantly upgraded its activities and ing Council asked the Administrator to take urgent presence in Lebanon, lack of political stability and steps, in collaboration with the Government and security problems made it difficult for it to carry the World Bank, to obtain the statistical data needed out its reconstruction and development pro- to adjust Lebanon’s interim illustrative indicative grammes. planning figure (IPF) for the fourth planning cycle On receiving the findings of a high-level inter- (1987-1991). He was also asked to continue to ap- agency mission which visited Lebanon in October prove projects submitted by the Government to be 1987 to reassess emergency relief needs, the financed by the IPF for the fourth cycle and by re- Secretary-General, in December, launched an ap- maining funds brought forward from the third cycle. peal to the international community for approxi- In addition, he was asked, in co-operation with the mately $85 million on behalf of the 250,000 most Government, to accelerate programme activities in affected Lebanese families. As at 31 July 1988, over Lebanon. In that regard, the Council authorized $70 million had been pledged by donor nations expenditures in the next year up to 60 per cent of 398 Economic and social questions the current provisional IPF for the fourth cycle and tion and Development of Lebanon and Resident Co- the carry-over from the third cycle. The Council ordinator of the operational activities for development decided to consider the situation in Lebanon as a of the United Nations system in Lebanon, matter of priority in 1989. Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General and of the statements made on 8 November 1988 by the Under- Secretary-General for Political and General Assembly ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL ACTION Affairs and Secretariat Services and by the Special On 26 July, the Economic and Social Council, Representative of the Secretary-General, on the recommendation of its Third Committee, Noting with satisfaction that the United Nations Devel- adopted resolution 1988/50 without vote. opment Programme is resuming its programme in Lebanon, Assistance for the reconstruction and 1. Expresses its appreciation to the Secretary-General for development of Lebanon his report and for the steps he has taken to mobilize as- The Economic and Social Council, sistance to Lebanon; Referring to General Assembly resolution 42/199 of 11 2. Commends the Under-Secretary-General for Political December 1987 and previous resolutions in which the and General Assembly Affairs and Secretariat Services Assembly requested the specialized agencies and other for his co-ordination of system-wide assistance to Lebanon; organizations and bodies of the United Nations system 3. Requests the Secretary-General to continue and in- to expand and intensify their programmes of assistance tensify his efforts to mobilize all possible assistance within in response to the needs of Lebanon, the United Nations system to help the Government of Aware of the deteriorating socio-economic conditions Lebanon in its reconstruction and development efforts; of the Lebanese people and the magnitude of their unmet 4. Expresses its appreciation for the appointment by the needs, Secretary-General of the Special Representative for the Noting with great concern the unprecedented inflation in Reconstruction and Development of Lebanon and Resi- Lebanon during the last four years and the catastrophic dent Co-ordinator of the operational activities for de- erosion of the value of the Lebanese currency, which is velopment of the United Nations system in Lebanon; now worth only one hundredth of its value in October 1984, 5. Calls upon the organs, organizations and bodies of Appeals to all Member States and all organizations of the United Nations system to intensify their programmes the United Nations system to continue and intensify their of assistance and to expand them in response to the pressing efforts to mobilize all possible assistance for the Govern- needs of Lebanon, and to take the necessary steps to ensure ment of Lebanon in its reconstruction and development that their offices at Beirut are adequately staffed at the efforts, in accordance with the relevant resolutions and senior level; decisions of the General Assembly and the Economic and 6. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the Social Council. General Assembly at its forty-fourth session on the progress Economic and Social Council resolution 1988/50 made in the implementation of the present resolution. 26 July 1988 Meeting 38 Adopted without vote General Assembly resolution 43/207 Approved by Third Committee (E/1988/111) without vote, 15 July (meeting 20 December 1988 Meeting 83 Adopted without vote 8); 21-nation draft (E/1988/C.3/L.3): agenda item 15. Approved by Second Committee (A/43/918/Add.2) without vote, 21 November Sponsors: Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, &wade, France, Greece, Iraq, Italy, (meeting 43); 10-nation draft (A/C.2/43/L.45): agenda item 86. Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Morocco, Oman, Sponsors: Bahrain. France, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Madagascar, Mauritania, Qatar, Somalia, Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia, Yugoslavia. Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Spain. Meeting numbers. GA 43rd session: 2nd Committee 26, 28-30, 36-38, 42, GENERAL ASSEMBLY ACTION 43; plenary 83. On 20 December, on the recommendation of the Second Committee, the General Assembly adopted Mozambique resolution 43/207 without vote, In accordance with a 1986 General Assembly re- quest,(7) an oral report was made on 7 July 1988 Assistance for the reconstruction and to the Economic and Social Council’s Third Com- development of Lebanon mittee on assistance to Mozambique. By decision The General Assembly, 1988/158 of 26 July, the Council took note of that Recalling its resolution 42/199 of 11 December 1987 and its previous resolutions on assistance for the reconstruction report. and development of Lebanon, In an August report to the Assembly,(8) the Taking note of Economic and Social Council resolution Secretary-General stated that he had consulted with 1988/50 of 26 July 1988 and recalling the previous rele- the Government of Mozambique on the implemen- vant resolutions and decisions of the Council, tation of the 1986 resolution on assistance to it.(7) Noting with deep concern the grave deterioration of the He had been informed that, while Mozambique economic situation in Lebanon, was endeavouring to maintain its regular develop- Reaffirming the urgent need for further international ment programmes, much of its energy and resources action to assist the Government of Lebanon in its con- were taken up in pursuing its emergency and re- tinuing efforts for reconstruction and development, habilitation programme (1987-1990), which com- Welcoming the determined efforts of the Government of Lebanon in undertaking its reconstruction and rehabili- bined short-term emergency relief with rehabili- tation programme, tation and development activities, with the support Noting with appreciation the appointment by the Secretary- of the international community. Since a compre- General of the Special Representative for the Reconstruc- hensive report, prepared by Mozambique in col- Economic assistance, disasters and emergency relief 399 laboration with the United Nations for a donors’ Assistance to Mozambique conference in April 1988 (see below), covered emer- The General Assembly, gency and rehabilitation needs, the Government Recalling Security Council resolution 386(1976) of 17 decided that there was no need for another full re- March 1976, Recallng also its relevant resolutions, in particular reso- port to be submitted to the Assembly until its emer- lution 41/197 of 8 December 1986, in which it urged the gency and rehabilitation programme was fully international community to respond effectively and gener- launched and funded. The Secretary-General there- ously to the call for assistance to Mozambique, fore submitted an interim report on assistance to Having considered the report of the Secretary-General Mozambique. on assistance to Mozambique, including the annex The interim report stated that social and eco- thereto, nomic conditions in Mozambique had been deteri- Considering that Mozambique continues to face a orating since the early 1980s, when the country began complex emergency situation of extreme proportions, to experience sabotage, terrorism and a major dis- as illustrated in the report of the Secretary-General, Noting with deep concern that Mozambique has contin- ruption of its social life as a result of externally sup- ued to suffer from the cumulative and negative impact ported acts of destabilization. Together with adverse of externally supported acts of destabilization, as well climatic conditions in a number of regions, the sit- as persistent natural disasters, resulting in, inter alia, uation brought about a decline in agricultural enormous losses of human life, widespread destruction production of over 50 per cent between 1981 and of infrastructure and large numbers of displaced per- 1986. The internal conflict continued unabated, sons, which, combined with an adverse international resulting in over 2.2 million Mozambicans being economic situation, have led to an overall retrogres- affected by severe food shortages and an additional sion of the country’s development, 1.1 million displaced from their homes. In 1987, Recognizing that substantial international assistance is still required for the implementation of emergency, the Government launched its emergency and re- reconstruction and development projects, habilitation programme with substantial support Stressing that a proper response to the emergency sit- from the World Bank, IMF and the United Nations uation in Mozambique requires the reinforcement of system. Since the programme’s introduction, real relief aid with additional rehabilitation and develop- GDP was estimated to have risen by 4 per cent in ment assistance, 1987 and rural and industrial production had grown 1. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General by 10 per cent. on assistance to Mozambique, including the annex On 26 and 27 April 1988, under the aegis of the thereto; United Nations, the Conference on Emergency As- 2. welcomes the efforts undertaken by the Govern- ment of Mozambique, as reflected in its emergency sistance to Mozambique was held at Maputo, at- and economic recovery programmes, and, in this con- tended by delegations from 37 countries and many text, stresses the imperative need for substantial inter- intergovernmental and non-governmental organi- national assistance in support of these efforts; zations. The Conference raised some $270 million 3. Expresses its appreciation to, and commends, the against a target of $330 million, with the bulk of Secretary-General and the relevant organizations of contributions directed towards food aid and logistical the United Nations system for the measures taken to requirements. organize international assistance programmes for Mo- The report discussed the deterioration in Mozam- zambique; bique’s economy since the early 1980s and described 4. Expresses its gratitude to all States and regional, in- tergovernmental and non-governmental organizations the evolution of the emergency situation, includ- that have rendered assistance to Mozambique; ing recent developments such as floods, a tropical 5. Notes, however, that the total assistance provided depression, late and insufficient rainfall and infesta- to date to Mozambique continues to fall short of the tions of pests. Violence continued to disrupt relief country’s urgent requirements; efforts in many areas and lack of security hampered 6. Reiterates its appeal to the international community relief distribution to outlying districts. Since govern- to continue to provide relief aid, including food aid and ment forces had retaken several zones from ban- logistics support, so as to improve distribution capabil- dits, a massive return of Mozambicans in Malawi ity and prevent further widespread starvation; to those zones was foreseen, adding to the coun- 7. Draws the attention of the international community to the non-food sectors, as described in the documents try’s food shortage. of the Conference on Emergency Assistance to Mozam- The report concluded by outlining new economic bique, held at Maputo on 26 and 27 April 1988, the policies instituted by the Government and action funding of which continues to lag, particularly the undertaken within the context of the emergency and agriculture, health and education sectors; rehabilitation programme. 8. Calls upon Member States, regional and interregional organizations and other intergovernmental and non- GENERAL ASSEMBLY ACTION governmental organizations to provide and expand tech- nical, financial and other material assistance to Mozam- On 20 December, on the recommendation of the bique wherever possible, especially in the form of grants, Second Committee, the General Assembly adopted and urges them to give priority to the inclusion of Mo- resolution 43/208 without vote. zambique in their development assistance programmes; 400 Economic and social questions

9. Invites the appropriate organizations and pro- GENERAL ASSEMBLY ACTION grammes of the United Nations system, in particular On 20 December, on the recommendation of the the United Nations Development Programme, the Food Second Committee, the General Assembly and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, adopted resolution 43/206 without vote. the World Food Programme, the World Health Organi- Emergency assistance to Somalia zation, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the United Nations Population Fund and the United Nations In- The General Assembly, dustrial Development Organization, to maintain and in- Taking note of the message addressed to the Secretary- crease their current and future programmes of assistance General by the head of State of Somalia, in which he to Mozambique; drew attention to the grave humanitarian situation that 10. Requests the Secretary-General: has developed in the northern provinces of Somalia as a result of attacks by armed bandits on towns and vil- (a) To continue his efforts to mobilize the financial, lages and on public installations, and appealed for emer- technical and material assistance required by Mo- gency assistance to help the Government cope with the zambique; large numbers of displaced persons and the repair, re- (b) To continue to co-ordinate the work of the habilitation and reconstruction of vita1 public facilities United Nations system, in close co-operation with the and installations, Government of Mozambique, in the implementation of Conscious of the critical economic problems already the country’s emergency and rehabilitation pro- confronting Somalia, as well as the great burden that grammes; has been imposed on its economy by the massive pres- (c) To keep the situation in Mozambique under con- ence of over 700,000 refugees, stant review, to maintain close contact with Member Bearing in mind that Somalia has been included in the States, organs and organizations of the United Nations list of least developed countries of the world and that system, and to apprise the Economic and Social Coun- its social and economic infrastructure is barely sufficient cil, at its second regular session of 1989, of the status to meet the needs of its own inhabitants, of the programmes of assistance to Mozambique; Recognizing that the widespread destruction that has (d) To prepare, on the basis of consultations with taken place in the northern provinces of Somalia requires the Government of Mozambique, a report on the im- the immediate response of the international community plementation of the emergency and rehabilitation pro- for an emergency assistance programme that would pro- grammes for that country and to submit the report to vide food, water and shelter for the inhabitants made the General Assembly at its forty-fifth session. homeless as a result of these events, and for a programme of emergency assistance and rehabilitation to enable the General Assembly resolution 43/208 affected population to return to their homes and become 20 December 1988 Meeting 83 Adopted without vote self-reliant, Approved by Second Committee (A/43/918/Add.2) without vote, 21 Novem- 1. Expresses its solidarity with the Government and ber (meeting 43); 44-nation draft (A/C.2/43/L.48); agenda item 86. people of Somalia in facing the complex disaster situa- Sponsors: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, Bar- l bados, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Canada, Cape Verde, Chad, tion in the northern provinces; China, Congo, Cuba, Egypt, Ethiopia, German Democratic Republic, Ghana, 2. Welcomes the current efforts of the Secretary:’ Italy, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, General and the appropriate organizations of the United Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Portugal, Romania, Sao Tome and Prin- cipe, Spain, Sudan, Tunisia, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Yugo- Nations system and the assistance so far provided to the slavia, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe. people and Government of Somalia in coping with the Meeting numbers. GA 43rd session: 2nd Committee 26, 28-30, 36-38, 42, emergency; 43; plenary 63. 3. Requests the Secretary-General to continue his ef- forts to mobilize international assistance and to co- Somalia ordinate the efforts of the appropriate organizations of the United Nations system in order to respond in a con- On 31 October 1988, the President of Somalia certed and effective manner to the request of the Govern- drew the attention of the Secretary-General to the ment of Somalia for humanitarian assistance, and to grave humanitarian situation that had developed carry out an assessment of priority humanitarian needs, in the northern provinces of Somalia as a result in close co-operation with the government authorities of attacks by armed bandits on towns and villages and with the organizations of the United Nations sys- and on public installations, and to the urgent need tem, and bring the findings to the attention of the in- for emergency assistance to help cope with the ternational community without delay; large numbers of displaced persons and the repair, 4. Calls upon all States and the competent inter- rehabilitation and reconstruction of vital public fa- governmental and non-governmental organizations to provide financial, material and technical assistance to cilities and installations. The President stated that ensure an effective response to the needs identified by more than 600,000 people were estimated to be the Secretary-General for relief operations, rehabilita- in camps and another 400,000 were scattered tion and reconstruction; about the countryside. In one town alone (Har- 5. Requests the Secretary-General to apprise the Eco- geysa), 70 per cent of permanent dwellings had nomic and Social Council at its first regular session of been destroyed or badly damaged. Schools, hospi- 1989 of his efforts and to report to the General Assem- tals, public markets and power and water instal- bly at its forty-fourth session on the implementation of lations had been destroyed. the present resolution. Economic assistance, disasters and emergency relief 401

General Assembly resolution 43/206 geographic areas where the needs of the people 20 December 1988 Meeting 83 Adopted without vote were the most acute. Approved by Second Committee (A/43/916/Add.2) without vote, 15 Novem- With regard to emergency humanitarian re- ber (meeting 42): draft by Zaire, for African Group (A/C.2/43/L.38): agenda item 86. quirements, it was estimated that the total cost Meeting numbers. GA 43rd session: 2nd Committee 26, 28-30, 36-38, 40, would amount to some $69.7 million. 42; plenary 83.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY ACTION Sudan On 6 December, on the recommendation of the In June 1988, the Prime Minister of the Sudan Second Committee, the General Assembly requested the Secretary-General to alert the inter- adopted resolution 43/52 without vote. national community to the grave situation in his Special programme of assistance to the Sudan country and to appeal for emergency assistance The General Assembly, to respond to the urgent requirements of the af- Recalling its resolution 43/8 of 18 October 1988 on fected people. In an October report to the General emergency assistance to the Sudan, in which it recog- Assembly on emergency assistance to the nized the disastrous impact of torrential rains and un- Sudan,(9) the Secretary-General stated that over precedented floods that devastated Khartoum and the the preceding few years the Sudan had found it north of the country in August 1988, causing the de- increasingly difficult to cope with the cumulative struction of over 300,000 dwellings and widespread dam- age to the country’s social and economic infrastructure, impact of ongoing or recurrent emergencies such Recalling the Substantial New Programme of Action as internal strife, floods, drought, widespread fam- for the 1980s for the Least Developed Countries, ine, locust depredations and influxes of refugees Deeply concerned about the serious plight of over two mil- from neighbouring countries. Those emergencies lion Sudanese nationals who have been displaced or seri- had created additional social and economic bur- ously affected by civil strife, famine and drought, dens for the Sudanese people who were already Noting that these grave problems are in addition to adversely affected by the depressed state of the those already created in the country by the presence of country’s economy. over one million refugees, In response to the Government’s request for Deeply conscious of the urgent need to take emergency action to alleviate the suffering of these victims and im- support in order to undertake a review of the sit- prove the conditions of life of the displaced population, uation, to update data on the number, condition Conscious of the great efforts of the Government and and background of the affected population and to the people of the Sudan in responding to the urgent hu- develop a strategy for early implementation of a manitarian needs of the displaced population, programme of immediate emergency assistance, Noting with satisfaction the prompt response made by the Secretary-General sent a high-level mission to a number of Governments, international agencies and the Sudan in July. However, torrential rains and non-governmental organizations in providing emergency devastating floods in early August effectively para- relief, lysed Khartoum until mid-September, wrought Recognizing that the magnitude of these disasters and additional destruction in several parts of the coun- their long-term consequences will require, in addition to the ongoing efforts of the Government and the peo- try and delayed implementation of the agreed pro- ple of the Sudan, a demonstration of international gramme by two months. solidarity and humanitarian concern to ensure broad In late September, a follow-up inter-agency mis- support in order to meet immediate emergency as well sion travelled to all accessible parts of the country as longer-term rehabilitation needs, where large numbers of displaced people were re- Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General con- ported. The mission discussed its findings and cerning the findings and recommendations of a high- recommendations with the Prime Minister before level mission, which assessed the conditions of the dis- leaving the country on 11 October. The Secretary- placed population and assisted in the formulation of an interim assistance programme focusing on the urgent General noted that the Assembly had adopted humanitarian and rehabilitation requirements of the dis- resolution 43/8 on 18 October dealing with the placed, floods in the Sudan. His report responded to the 1. EXpreses its solidarity with the Government and the Assembly’s request that he keep the international people of the Sudan in facing a grave and complex hu- community informed of the Sudan’s emergency, manitarian and economic situation; rehabilitation and reconstruction needs. 2. Expresse.s its gratitude and appeciation to Governments Following a description of the background to the and international and non-governmental organizations that provided support and assistance to the Government crisis in the Sudan, the report outlined the re- of the Sudan in its relief and rehabilitation efforts; sponse of the United Nations to the emergency 3. Recognizes the valuable efforts of the Government and summarized a policy statement of the Govern- of the Sudan to provide assistance to the people affected; ment. It then described an overall emergency 4. Recognizes also the importance of intense and wide strategy for assistance to displaced persons, to be co-operation with international relief organizations, as based on a three-pronged approach focused on the well as non-governmental organizations, to ensure the 402 Economic and social questions provision of humanitarian assistance where needed in emergency assistance programme covering the rehabili- all areas affected; tation and resettlement needs of displaced persons; 5. Takes note of the interim assistance programme 9. Requests the Secretary-General to apprise the Eco- contained in the report of the Secretary-General; nomic and Social Council at its first regular session of 6. Calls upon all States to contribute generously to 1989 of his efforts and to report thereon to the General programmes for the relief and rehabilitation of dis- Assembly at its forty-fourth session. placed persons; 7. Expre.sses its appreciation to the Secretary-General General Assembly resolution 43/52 for his efforts to make the international community 6 December 1988 Meeting 70 Adopted without vote more aware of the enormous difficulties facing the dis- Approved by Second Committee (A/43/918/Add.1) without vote. 10 Novem- placed population and to mobilize assistance to the ber (meeting 40); draft by Vice-Chairman (A/C.2/43/L.34), based on in- formal consultations on 29-nation draft (A/C.2/43/L.20): agenda item 86 (b). Sudan; Meeting numbers. GA 43rd session: 2nd Committee 26, 28-30, 36-38, 40; 8. Welcomes the decision of the Secretary-General to plenary 70. organize, as requested by the Government of the Sudan and in close co-operation with the United Nations De- REFERENCES velopment Programme and the World Bank, a meeting (1)SG/CONEF.3/l. (2)UNOCA/1988/1 & Add.1. (3)SG/CONE3/2. of bilateral donors and pertinent international institu- (4)YUN 1987, p.463, GA res. 42/199, 11 Dec. 1987. tions and non-governmental organizations in order to (5)A/43/727. (6)E/1988/19 (dec. 88/31 B). (7)YUN 1986, p. 465, mobilize resources needed to implement a follow-up GA res. 41/197, 8 Dec. 1986. (8)A/43/514. (9)A/43/755.