17 December 1981

United Nations Development Programme

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, 35/56 of 5 December 1980, containing the International Development Strategy for the Third United Nations Development Decade, 35/81 of 5 December 1980 on the comprehensive policy review of operational activities for development and 35/83 of 5 December 1980 on the United Nations Development Programme,

Reaffirming the unique and important contribution which the United Nations Development Programme is making to the development efforts of developing countries,

Having considered the report of the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme on its twenty-eighth session and Economic and Social Council resolution 1981/59 of 22 July 1981 on the report of the Governing Council,

Concerned at the shortfall of voluntary contributions in relation to the assumed over-all average annual growth of resources,

Aware that, together with efforts to obtain additional voluntary contributions, steps are being taken to increase further the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of the United Nations Development Programme,

Noting that the Governing Council has decided to retain for the purposes of forward planning for the third programming cycle, 1982-1986, an assumed over-all average annual growth of resources of at least 14 per cent,

Noting with appreciation the statement made before the Second Committee on 24 September l981 by the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme,

Reaffirming the validity of the consensus of 1970, as set forth in the annex to General Assembly resolution 2688 (XXV) of 11 December 1970,

1. Takes note with satisfaction of the report of the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme on its twenty-eighth session and the decisions contained therein;

2. Endorses Economic and Social Council resolution 1981/59 of 22 July 1981;

3. Stresses that the realization of the goals and objectives of the International Development Strategy for the Third United Nations Development Decade requires a renewed emphasis upon technical co-operation and a significant increase in the resources provided for that purpose;

4. Endorses also decision 81/37 of 27 June 1981 of the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme on streamlining and rationalizing the work of the Governing Council;

5. Commends the efforts made by the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme to increase further the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of the Programme, and encourages the Administrator to continue to intensify those efforts, taking account, inter alia, of the need to restrain administrative expenditures in order to maximize programme delivery in accordance with paragraph 4 of Governing Council decision 81/16 of 27 June 1981;

6. Expresses its appreciation to all Governments of both developed and developing countries which at the 1981 United Nations Pledging Conference for Development Activities announced contributions or their intention to contribute to the United Nations Development Programme for 1982, in particular those Governments which have consistently increased their voluntary contributions to the Programme;

7. Expresses its deep concern nevertheless that the likely shortfall in 1982 in over-all voluntary contributions may adversely affect the proposed programme delivery for the third programming cycle of the United Nations Development Programme;

8. Urges all Governments, especially those whose voluntary contributions may not reflect their capacity to contribute, to renew their efforts to provide the United Nations Development Programme with the resources necessary to establish a sound financial basis for the implementation of the Programme's planned activities for the third programming cycle, 1982-1986, which for the purpose of forward planning would assume an over-all average annual growth of resources of at least 14 per cent;

9. Strongly reiterates the need for a substantial and real increase in the flow of resources for the United Nations Development Programme on an increasingly predictable, continuous and assured basis, and in that context welcomes the decision of the Governing Council, in its decision 81/37, to review this issue at its twenty-ninth session;

10. Reaffirms the request of the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme to the Administrator in its decision 81/16 to continue consultations with donor countries with a view to reaching the level of resources envisaged for 1982-1986 in order to maintain the level of programme planning for participating countries, as approved by the Governing Council for the third programming cycle, 1982-1986;

11. Decides that, beginning in 1983, a broad policy review of those funds and programmes under the guidance of the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme and managed by the Administrator of the Programme should be undertaken on a biennial basis, on the understanding that a brief report, including a financial statement, on those funds and programmes should be made available to the Governing Council in the intervening years, and invites the Governing Council to act accordingly.