48th plenary meeting

27 July 1982

Implementation of the Declaration on the Grantingof Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples by the specialized agencies and the international institutions associated with the United Nations and assistance to the oppressed people of South Africa and their national liberation movement by agencies and institutions within the United Nations system

The Economic and Social Council,

Having examined the report of the Secretary-General and the reports of the President of the Economic and Social Council concerning the items entitled "Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples by the specialized agencies and the international institutions associated with the United Nations" and "Assistance to the oppressed people of South Africa and their national liberation movement by agencies and institutions within the United Nations system",

Having heard the statements of the Chairman of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples and the Acting Chairman of the Special Committee against Apartheid,

Recalling General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960, containing the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, and all other resolutions, adopted by United Nations bodies on this subject, including in particular General Assembly resolution 36/52 of 24 November 1981 and Council resolution 1981/54 of 22 July 1981,

Reaffirming the responsibility of the specialized agencies and other organizations within the United Nations system to take all effective measures, within their respective spheres of competence, to ensure the full and speedy implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples and other relevant resolutions of United Nations bodies,

Deeply conscious of the continuing critical need of the people of Namibia and their national liberation movement, the South West Africa People's Organization, for concrete assistance from the specialized agencies and the international institutions associated with the United Nations in their struggle for liberation from the illegal occupation of their country by the racist minority regime in South Africa,

Deeply concerned that, while progress has been maintained through the continuing efforts of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in the extension of assistance to refugees from southern Africa, the action taken thus far by the organizations and agencies concerned in the provision of assistance generally to the people of Namibia is still far from adequate to meet their urgent and growing needs,

Noting with satisfaction the continuing efforts of the United Nations Development Programme in the extension of assistance to the national liberation movements concerned and commending the initiative taken by that organization in establishing channels for closer, periodic contacts and consultations between the specialized agencies and United Nations institutions and the Organization of African Unity and the national liberation movements in the formulation of assistance programmes, including in particular the holding at Dar es Salaam, from 8 to 11 December 1981, of an Interagency Consultative Meeting on Assistance to African National Liberation Movements Recognized by the Organization of African Unity,

1. Takes note of the reports of the President of the Economic and Social Council and endorses the observations and suggestions contained therein;

2. Reaffirms that the recognition by the General Assembly, the Security Council and other United Nations organs of the legitimacy of the struggle of colonial peoples to exercise their right to self-determination and independence entails, as a corollary, the extension by the United Nations system of organizations of all the necessary moral and material assistance to the peoples of the colonial territories and their national liberation movements;

3. Expresses its appreciation to those specialized agencies and organizations within the United Nations system which have continued to co-operate in varying degrees with the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity in the implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples and other relevant resolutions of United Nations bodies, and urges all the specialized agencies and other organizations within the United Nations system to accelerate the full and speedy implementation of the relevant provisions of those resolutions;

4. Requests the specialized agencies and other organizations within the United Nations system, in the light of the intensification of the liberation struggle in Namibia, to do everything possible as a matter of urgency to render, in consultation with the Organization of African Unity and the United Nations Council for Namibia, increased assistance to the people of Namibia, in particular in connexion with the Nationhood Programme for Namibia;

5. Requests the specialized agencies and other organizations within the United Nations system, in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly and the Security Council, to continue to take all necessary measures to withhold any financial, economic, technical or other assistance to the Government of South Africa until that Government restores to the people of Namibia their inalienable right to self-determination and independence, and to refrain from taking any action which might imply recognition of, or support for, the illegal occupation of Namibia by that regime;

6. Requests also the specialized agencies and other organizations within the United Nations system, in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly and the Security Council on the apartheid policy of the Government of South Africa, to intensify their support for the oppressed people of South Africa and to take such measures as will isolate the apartheid regime and mobilize world public opinion against apartheid;

7. Notes with satisfaction the inclusion of Namibia, represented by the United Nations Council for Namibia, in the membership of the Executive Committee of the Programme of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, in accordance with General Assembly resolution 36/121 D of 10 December 1981, and urges the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system which have not yet granted full membership to the United Nations Council for Namibia to do so without delay;

8. Notes with satisfaction the arrangements made by several specialized agencies and United Nations institutions which enable representatives of the national liberation movements recognized by the Organization of African Unity to participate fully as observers in the proceedings relating to matters concerning their respective countries, and calls upon those international institutions which have not yet done so to follow this example and make the necessary arrangements without delay, including arrangements to defray the cost of the participation of those representatives;

9. Recommends that all Governments should intensify their efforts in the specialized agencies and other organizations within the United Nations system of which they are members to ensure the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples and other relevant resolutions of United Nations bodies;

10. Urges those specialized agencies and organizations within the United Nations system which have not already done so to include in the agenda of the regular meetings of their governing bodies a separate item on the progress made by those organizations in their implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples and other relevant resolutions of United Nations bodies;

11. Further urges the executive heads of specialized agencies and other organizations within the United Nations system to formulate, with the active co-operation of the Organization of African Unity, and to submit, as a matter of priority, to their governing and legislative organs concrete proposals for the full implementation of the relevant United Nations decisions;

12. Draws the attention of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples to the present resolution and to the discussions on the subject at the second regular session of 1982 of the Council;

13. Requests the President of the Economic and Social Council to continue consultations on these matters with the Chairman of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples and the Chairman of the Special Committee against Apartheid and to report thereon to the Council;

14. Requests the Secretary-General to follow the implementation of the present resolution and to report thereon to the Council at its second regular session of 1983;

15. Decides to keep these questions under continuous review.