17 December 1981

Assistance for the reconstruction, rehabilitation and development of the Central African Republic

The General Assembly,

Recalling its resolution 35/87 of 5 December 1980 in which it affirmed the urgent need for international action to assist the Government of the Central African Republic in its reconstruction, rehabilitation and development efforts,

Noting the statement made by the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Central African Republic to the General Assembly on 7 October 1981, in which he described the serious economic and financial problems of the country and affirmed that the situation had deteriorated owing to the insufficiency of financial resources and that external assistance was essential,

Noting further the statement made by the representative of the Central African Republic in the Second Committee that the response of the international community to the urgent appeal of the General Assembly has not been adequate to meet the needs of the situation,

Bearing in mind that the Central African Republic is land-locked and is classified as one of the least developed among the developing countries, Recalling the Substantial New Programme of Action for the 1980s for the Least Developed Countries, adopted unanimously at the United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, held in Paris from 1 to 14 September 1981, calling for increased aid to these countries,

Having examined the report of the Secretary-General, to which was annexed the report of the interagency mission dispatched to the Central African Republic to consult with the Government on the additional assistance needed for the reconstruction, rehabilitation and development of the country,

Noting that the budgetary situation in the Central African Republic, according to the report, makes it impossible for the Government to embark on a programme of reconstruction and rehabilitation without sufficient external financial aid,

Particularly concerned that the Government of the Central African Republic is unable to provide the population with adequate health, educational and other essential social and public services because of an acute shortage of financial and material resources,

1. Notes with satisfaction the efforts exerted by the Government and people of the Central African Republic for national reconstruction, rehabilitation and development;

2. Expresses its appreciation to the Secretary-General for his report on the economic situation of the Central African Republic and the additional assistance required by that country for its reconstruction, rehabilitation and development;

3. Endorses fully the assessment and recommendations of the mission contained in the annex to the report of the Secretary-General;

4. Urgently reiterates its appeal to all Member States to contribute generously, through bilateral or multilateral channels, to the reconstruction, rehabilitation and development of the Central African Republic;

5. Requests the appropriate organizations and programmes of the United Nations system - in particular the United Nations Development Programme, the World Bank, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, the World Food Programme, the World Health Organization, the United Nations Children's Fund and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization - to maintain and expand their programmes of assistance to the Central African Republic, to co-operate closely with the Secretary-General in his efforts to organize an effective international programme of assistance and to report periodically to him on the steps they have taken and the resources they have made available to help that country;

6. Calls upon regional and interregional organizations and other intergovernmental bodies and non-governmental organizations, as well as international financial institutions - in particular the European Economic Community, the European Development Fund, the African Development Bank, the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries Fund for International Development, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, the Kuwaiti Fund and the Abu Dhabi Fund to give urgent consideration to the establishment of a programme of assistance to the Central African Republic or, where one is already in existence, to the expansion of that programme;

7. Urges Member States and relevant United Nations bodies -

in particular the United Nations Development Programme, the World Food Programme, the United Nations Children's Fund, the World Health Organization, the United Nations Fund for Population Activities and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization - to provide all possible assistance to help the Government of the Central African Republic to cope with the critical humanitarian needs of the population and to provide, as appropriate, food, medicines and essential equipment for schools and hospitals, as well as to meet the emergency needs of the population in the drought-stricken areas of the country;

8. Invites the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Children's Fund, the World Food Programme, the World Health Organization, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the World Bank and the International Fund for Agricultural Development to bring to the attention of their governing bodies, for their consideration, the special needs of the Central African Republic and to report the decisions of those bodies to the Secretary-General by 15 July 1982;

9. Requests the Secretary-General:

(a) To organize a special emergency assistance programme with regard to food and health, especially medicaments, vaccines, hospital equipment, generating sets for field hospitals, water pumps, food products, etc., in order to help the vulnerable populations, whose steadily deteriorating situation is becoming a matter of increasingly serious concern;

(b) To continue his efforts to mobilize necessary resources for an effective programme of financial, technical and material assistance to the Central African Republic;

(c) To ensure that the necessary financial and budgetary arrangements are made to continue the organization of the international programme of assistance to the Central African Republic and the mobilization of that assistance;

(d) To keep the situation in the Central African Republic under constant review, to maintain close contact with Member States, the specialized agencies, regional and other intergovernmental organizations and the international financial institutions concerned and to apprise the Economic and Social Council, at its second regular session of 1982, of the status of the special economic assistance programme for the Central African Republic;

(e) To arrange for a review of the economic situation of the Central African Republic and the progress made in organizing and implementing the special economic assistance programme for that country in time for the matter to be considered by the General Assembly at its thirty-seventh session.