16 December 1981

Reverse transfer of technology

The General Assembly,

Recalling its resolutions 3201 (S-VI) and 3202 (S-VI) of 1 May 1974, containing the Declaration and the Programme of Action on the Establishment of a New International Economic Order, 3281 (XXIX) of 12 December 1974, containing the Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of States, and 3362 (S-VII) of 16 September 1975 on development and international economic co-operation,

Recalling also its resolution 35/56 of 5 December 1980, containing the International Development Strategy for the Third United Nations Development Decade,

Recalling further its resolutions 32/192 of 19 December 1977 and 33/151 of 20 December 1978, entitled "Reverse transfer of technology", as well as its resolutions 34/200 of 19 December 1979 and 35/62 of 5 December 1980 on development aspects of the reverse transfer of technology,

Noting the Economic Declaration adopted by the Sixth Conference of Heads of State or Government of Non-Aligned Countries, held at Havana from 3 to 9 September 1979,

Noting also the report of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development on its fifth session, particularly resolution 102 (V) of 30 May 1979, the Vienna Programme of Action on Science and Technology for Development and the resolutions and decisions of the Trade and Development Board on the reverse transfer of technology, in particular decision 193 (XIX) of 20 October 1979, resolution 219 (XXI) of 27 September 1980 and resolution 227 (XXII) of 20 March 1981,

Noting further the proposals contained in the Arusha Programme for Collective Self-Reliance and Framework for Negotiations, adopted by the Fourth Ministerial Meeting of the Group of 77,

Expressing its concern regarding the adverse effects of the reverse transfer of technology on the capacity and potential of scientific and technological development in the developing countries and, thus, on their economic and social development,

Considering that the flow of skilled manpower from developing countries constitutes a reverse transfer of technology,

Aware that the search for solutions to the reverse transfer of technology, which has serious economic, political and social implications for developing countries, is an important concern of the international community in its efforts towards the establishment of the new international economic order,

Convinced that the United Nations system could play a role in the alleviation of the adverse effects of the reverse transfer of technology,

1. Takes note of the report on the establishment of an international labour compensatory facility prepared by the Secretary-General in accordance with paragraph 5 of General Assembly resolution 34/200;

2. Requests the Secretary-General to keep under continued review the co-ordination of work on the question of reverse transfer of technology in the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the International Labour Organisation and other relevant United Nations organizations;

3. Notes with satisfaction Trade and Development Board resolution 227 (XXII), by which the Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development is authorized to convene, no earlier than three months after a comprehensive study of the feasibility of measuring human resource flows has been submitted to member States for comments, an intergovernmental group of experts to examine the feasibility of measuring human resource flows;

4. Urges all Governments and appropriate intergovernmental organizations, particularly those organizations of developing countries, to participate actively in the meeting of the group of experts referred to in paragraph 3 above;

5. Requests the Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and the Director-General of the International Labour Organisation to continue to keep under review, as necessary, the problem of the reverse transfer of technology;

6. Invites the Trade and Development Board to include a progress report on the work of the intergovernmental group of experts in the report on its twenty-fifth session.