30 July 1982

Europe-Africa permanent link through the Strait of Gibraltar

The Economic and Social Council,

Recalling its resolution 2097 (LXIII) of 29 July 1977 and General Assembly resolution 32/160 of 19 December 1977, proclaiming the Transport and Communications Decade in Africa during the years 1978-1988,

Bearing in mind the decision by which the Conference of African Ministers of Transport, Communications and Planning, at its first session, held at Addis Ababa from 9 to 12 May 1979, adopted the global strategy for the implementation of the programme for the Transport and Communications Decade in Africa, as well as the programme of action for the first phase (1980-1983) of the Decade,

Also bearing in mind the decision adopted by the Conference of African Ministers of Transport, Communications and Planning, at its second session, held at Addis Ababa from 16 to 18 March 1981, with regard to the updating of the programme for the first phase and the preparation of the plan of action for the second phase (1984-1988) of the Decade,

Noting that the Conference of African Ministers of Transport, Communications and Planning, at its second session, retained the feasibility study on the crossing of the Strait of Gibraltar,

Conscious of the role of the Economic Commission for Africa in the implementation of the programme for the Decade,

Taking into account the favourable decisions on the permanent link taken respectively by the Third Conference on African Roads, held at Abidjan in October 1976, the Thirteenth Permanent Transports Conference of Arab Countries, held at Cairo in February 1977 and the Fourth Conference on African Roads, held at Nairobi in January 1980,

Convinced of the importance of the permanent link through the Strait of Gibraltar in the political, cultural, economic and social relations between Africa and Europe,

Taking note of the existence of a co-ordinating committee for the monitoring of the construction of the permanent link project,

Noting further that the Economic Commission for Europe is following with interest the work regarding the establishment of a permanent link between Europe and Africa and that it has not yet taken a final decision on the matter,

1. Requests the Executive Secretaries of the Economic Commission for Africa and the Economic Commission for Europe:

(a) To prepare a synthesis and an evaluation of the various studies and reports currently available throughout the world regarding such a link, particularly studies on the proposed link through the Strait of Gibraltar;

(b) To identify, on that basis the problems related to ensuring a permanent link between the European road network and that of the region of the Economic Comission for Africa with a view to submitting proposals and recommendations to the regional commissions and Governments concerned for possible further action, and to report to the Economic and Social Council at its second regular session of 1983;

2. Requests the Secretary-General, within existing resources, to support the Economic Commission for Africa and the Economic Commission for Europe in the most appropriate manner in the implementation of this task.