17 December 1981

United Nations Special Fund for Land-locked Developing Countries

The General Assembly,

Recalling its resolution 31/177 of 21 December 1976, by which it approved the statute of the United Nations Special Fund for Land-locked Developing Countries,

Recalling also its resolutions 32/113 of 15 December 1977, 33/85 of 15 December 1978, 34/209 of 19 December 1979 and 35/82 of 5 December 1980, Taking note of resolution 123 (V) of 3 June 1979 of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and decisions 80/21 of 26 June 1980 and 81/3 of 19 June 1981 of the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme,

Recalling General Assembly resolution 35/56 of 5 December 1980, containing the International Development Strategy for the Third United Nations Development Decade and the relevant provisions thereof, in particular paragraphs 152 to 155,

Recalling further the relevant paragraphs of the Substantial New Programme of Action for the 1980s for the Least Developed Countries adopted by the United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, held in Paris from 1 to 14 September 1981,

Convinced that access to world markets at the least possible cost is an integral part of meaningful economic development of land-locked developing countries,

Bearing in mind that a large number of countries classified as least developed are land-locked developing countries, Expressing deep concern at the consistently very low level of contributions that have been pledged to the Fund since its establishment,

Noting that, according to the report of the Secretary-General prepared in response to General Assembly resolution 34/207 of 19 December 1979, contributions to the Fund must increase significantly if it is to be effective in meeting the large requirements for reducing the real costs of transit for land-locked developing countries,

Noting further that the demands for assistance from the Fund are additional to, and generally different from, the types of activities financed from other sources of the United Nations system,

1. Urges all Member States to give due consideration to the special constraints affecting the economic and social development of land-locked developing countries;

2. Appeals to all donor countries to review their position with respect to the United Nations Special Fund for Land-lock Developing Countries, with a view to extending their greater support to it;

3. Also appeals to all Member States, in particular developed countries, and to multilateral and bilateral financial institutions to contribute significantly and generously to the Fund in order to implement the measures relating to land-locked developing countries provided for in the International Development Strategy for the Third United Nations Development Decade;

4. Requests the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme, in consultation with the Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and the executive heads of other related bodies, to continue to pursue action in favour of land-locked developing countries within the framework of the interim arrangements, bearing in mind that each country concerned should receive appropriate technical and financial assistance.