29 July 1983

Industrial Development Decade for Africa

The Economic and Social Council,

Recalling its resolution 1982/66 B of 30 July 1982 and section II of General Assembly resolution 37/212 of 20 December 1982, as adopted, in which the Assembly, inter alia, recalled that the Industrial Development Decade for Africa was one of the most important programmes of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization,

Recalling further Industrial Development Board resolution 56 (XVII) of 13 May 1983, in which the Board, inter alia, expressed its deep concern at the scarcity of resources, including resources made available for the Decade by the United Nations Development Programme,

Noting resolution (I) adopted by the Follow-up Committee on Industrialization in Africa at its seventh meeting, held at Kigali, Rwanda, from 16 to 19 March 1983, and resolution 466 (XVIII) adopted on 2 May 1983 by the Conference of Ministers of the Economic Commission for Africa, both on the implementation of the programme for the Industrial Development Decade for Africa,

Considering that the effective implementation of the Lagos Plan of Action for the implementation of the Monrovia Strategy for the Economic Development of Africa and the Final Act of Lagos will, to a large extent, depend on the sustained development of industry as a supplier and user of goods and services and therefore on the structural adjustment in the industrial sector with emphasis on selected strategic core industries,

Noting with appreciation the decision of the African Development Bank to provide increased financing for industrial projects in Africa during its 1982-1986 programme period,

Noting further the deteriorating economic situation in Africa and that the number of the least-developed countries in Africa has increased from twenty-one to twenty-six out of the present global total of thirty-six,

1. Takes note with appreciation of the second progress report on the Industrial Development Decade for Africa, prepared jointly by the Executive Director of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization and the Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa;

2. Welcomes the efforts made by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization in assisting the African countries and intergovernmental organizations in the formulation of national and subregional programmes for the Decade, as well as in maintaining continuous and harmonious co-ordination with the secretariats of the Organization of African Unity, the Economic Commission for Africa and other relevant international organizations;

3. Supports Industrial Development Board resolution 56 (XVII) on the Industrial Development Decade for Africa and reiterates the repeated appeals already made to the international community to increase its contribution to African industrial development within the framework of the programme for the Industrial Development Decade for Africa, with a view to ensuring that the target set by the African Governments of a 1.4 per cent share of world industrial production is achieved by the African region during the Decade;

4. Decides to accord priority to the Industrial Development Decade for Africa among the programmes of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization and the Economic Commission for Africa and, consequently, requests the Secretary-General to ensure that this priority is fully reflected in the programme budgets of those organizations and that adequate resources will be provided for the co-ordination and monitoring of the Decade, subject to approval by the General Assembly;

5. Appeals to all countries and institutions to increase their contributions to the United Nations Industrial Development Fund, taking into account the financial requirements of the projects directed towards the implementation of the programme for the Decade;

6. Urges the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme to consider increasing its allocation of financial resources for assistance to African countries and intergovernmental organizations in planning and formulating their programmes for the Decade and to accord high priority to industrial projects, especially for the development of core industries, in its national and regional programmes for Africa, taking into account the priorities of the African countries;

7. Recommends that the General Assembly, at its thirty-eighth session, should continue to provide the United Nations Industrial Organization with adequate funds from the United Nations regular technical assistance programmes for assistance to the African countries and to intergovernmental organizations necessary for the full implementation of the programme for the Decade, priority being accorded to the formulation of industrial policies, strategies and plans, the development of core industries, industrial manpower, technological capabilities and institutional infrastructures, the development of energy technology and equipment, the promotion of intra-African industrial co-operation, the development of the least-developed countries, the mobilization of financial resources, and for the popularization of the Decade.