10 December 1981

Question of the Comorian Island of Mayotte

The General Assembly,

Recalling its resolutions 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960, containing the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, and 2621 (XXV) of 12 October 1970, containing the Programme of Action for the Full Implementation of the Declaration,

Recalling its previous resolutions, in particular resolutions 3161 (XXVIII) of 14 December 1973, 3291 (XXIX) of 13 December 1974, 31/4 of 21 October 1976, 32/7 of 1 November 1977, 34/69 of 6 December 1979 and 35/43 of 28 November 1980, in which it, inter alia, affirmed the unity and territorial integrity of the Comoros,

Recalling, in particular, its resolution 3385 (XXX) of 12 November 1975 on the admission of the Comoros to membership in the United Nations, in which it reaffirmed the necessity of respecting the unity and territorial integrity of the Comoro Archipelago, composed of the islands of Anjouan, Grande-Comore, Mayotte and Moheli,

Recalling further that, in accordance with the agreements signed on 15 June 1973 between the Comoros and France concerning the accession of the Comoros to independence, the results of the referendum of 22 December 1974 were to be considered on a global basis and not island by island, Convinced that a just and lasting solution of the question of Mayotte is to be found in respect for the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of the Comoro Archipelago,

Taking note of the talks opened between the Government of the Islamic Federal Republic of the Comoros and the Government of the French Republic,

Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General,

Bearing in mind the decisions of the Organization of African Unity, the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries and the Organization of the Islamic Conference concerning this question,

1. Reaffirms the sovereignty of the Islamic Federal Republic of the Comoros over the island of Mayotte;

2. Invites the French Government to honour the commitments entered into prior to the referendum on the self-determination of the Comoro Archipelago of 22 December 1974 concerning respect for the unity and territorial integrity of the Comoros;

3. Also invites the French Government to resume and actively pursue the negotiations with the Comorian Government with a view to ensuring the effective return of the island of Mayotte to the Comoros as soon as possible;

4. Requests the Secretary-General of the United Nations to follow developments concerning this question, in conjunction with the Secretary-General of the Organization of African Unity, and to report thereon to the General Assembly at its thirty-seventh session;

5. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its thirty-seventh session the item entitled "Question of the Comorian island of Mayotte".