17 December 1981

Assistance to the drought-stricken areas in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, the Sudan and Uganda

The General Assembly,

Recalling its resolutions 35/90 and 35/91 of 5 December 1980 on the question of assistance to the drought-stricken areas of Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia, the Sudan and Uganda,

Recalling further Economic and Social Council resolution 1981/48 of 20 July 1981 regarding assistance to the drought-stricken countries and to Kenya,

Having heard the statement made before the Second Committee on 6 November 1981 by the head of the United Nations multiagency mission which visited those countries to assess the immediate, medium-term and long-term needs of the Governments concerned for their drought-affected populations,

Noting with satisfaction the reports of the Secretary-General on assistance to the drought-stricken areas in Djibouti, Kenya, Somalia, the Sudan and Uganda, to which were annexed the relevant reports of the multiagency mission,

Aware of the adverse effects of drought on the economic and social development of the countries concerned as well as on their ecology,

Bearing in mind the imperative need for the international community to render assistance to Member States in the event of major natural disasters,

Recalling its resolutions and those of the Economic and Social Council concerning assistance in cases of natural disaster, in particular Assembly resolutions 2816 (XXVI) of 14 December 1971 and 2959 (XXVII) of 12 December 1972,

Taking into account the regional nature of the drought and the practical and regional co-operation arrangements which already exist among the affected countries,

Recalling its recommendations in paragraph 6 of its resolution 35/90 that the Governments of the drought-stricken countries of the region should consider the establishment of an intergovernmental body with the responsibility for co-ordinating and supporting the countries' efforts to combat the effects of drought and other natural disasters and to deal with the problem of medium-term and long-term recovery and rehabilitation,

Noting that, in response to paragraph 7 of its resolution 35/90, arrangements have been made by the Secretary-General for a unit within the United Nations Development Programme to be created when funds are made available through voluntary contributions and to be assigned responsibility for assisting the countries of the region,

Noting further that, in response to paragraph 7 of resolution 35/90, the Secretary-General appealed to Member States and international organizations for voluntary contributions to meet the costs of such a unit to enable it to provide the assistance envisaged in that paragraph,

1. Commends the Secretary-General for his positive response to the urgent situation of the drought-stricken areas in Djibouti, Kenya, Somalia, the Sudan and Uganda, and for his action in dispatching a multiagency mission to those countries to assess their medium-term and long-term needs, and also commends the multiagency mission for the excellent efforts it deployed, and requests the Secretary-General to send a similar mission to those countries for which such a report does not exist;

2. Endorses the recommendations made by the multiagency mission in its reports, which were annexed to the reports of the Secretary-General;

3. Appeals to Member States, United Nations organizations and specialized agencies, and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to contribute generously, in the form of financial, material and technical assistance, towards the projects and programmes to help the affected populations, as described in the reports of the multiagency mission;

4. Urges the Governments of the drought-stricken countries of the region to continue their consultations and to finalize the necessary arrangements for the establishment of an intergovernmental body with the responsibility for co-ordinating and supporting each country's efforts to combat the effects of drought and other natural disasters and to deal with the problem of medium-term and long-term recovery and rehabilitation;

5. Invites the Secretary-General, within existing resources, in close co-operation with the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme, to assist those countries in the establishment of the proposed intergovernmental body;

6. Reiterates its appeal to Member States and international organizations to make voluntary contributions to meet the cost of the special co-ordinating unit, to be created within the United Nations Development Programme, and to enable it to provide assistance to the Governments of the affected countries to strengthen their national and regional capabilities to mitigate the effects of drought and to promote sustained economic and social development;

7. Requests the Secretary-General, in close co-operation with the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme:

(a) To extend all necessary assistance to the Governments of Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, the Sudan and Uganda in establishing detailed policies for dealing with drought as a recurring phenomenon within the context of their national development programmes;

(b) To mobilize international assistance for the populations affected as a result of drought and other natural disasters in the countries concerned;

8. Further requests the Secretary-General to keep the situation under review and to report to the Economic and Social Council, at its second regular session of 1982, and to the General Assembly at its thirty-seventh session on the progress achieved in the implementation of the present resolution.