29 May 1985

23rd plenary meeting

National experience in achieving far-reaching social and economic changes for the purpose of social progress

The Economic and Social Council,

Guided by the desire to promote a higher standard of life, full employment and conditions for economic and social progress and development,

Bearing in mind the Declaration on Social Progress and Development,

Mindful of the provisions of the Declaration and the Programme of Action on the Establishment of a New International Economic Order, as well as the Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of States,

Noting its resolutions 1581 (L) A of 21 May 1971, 1667 (LII) of 1 June 1972 and 1746 (LIV) of 16 May 1973 concerning the importance of fundamental structural socio-economic changes for the strengthening of national independence and the achievement of the ultimate goals of social progress,

Recalling General Assembly resolutions 3273 (XXIX) of 10 December 1974, 31/38 of 30 November 1976, 36/19 of 9 November 1981 and 38/25 of 22 November 1983, in which the Assembly reaffirmed the importance for every State to exercise its inalienable right to carry out fundamental social and economic changes for the purpose of social progress and the necessity of studying national experience in this field,

Desirous of securing a speedy and complete removal of all obstacles to the economic and social progress of peoples,

Convinced that peaceful coexistence and co-operation among States create favourable international conditions for the socio-economic development of all countries, in particular developing countries,

Considering that the exchange of national experience in achieving far-reaching social and economic changes for the purpose of social progress would contribute to the implementation of the International Development Strategy for the Third United Nations Development Decade,

Reaffirming the sovereign and inalienable right of all peoples freely to determine their political status and freely to pursue their economic, social and cultural development,

1. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General on national experience in achieving far-reaching social and economic changes for the purpose of social progress;

2. Calls upon all States to give special attention in their national development plans and programmes to the social aspects of development with a view to increasing the well-being of the population on the basis of its full participation in the process of development and a fair distribution of the benefits therefrom;

3. Requests the Secretary-General to make arrangements for holding the interregional seminar called for in paragraph 3 of General Assembly resolution 38/25 within the resources already requested for sectoral and regional advisory services;

4. Invites all States to submit to the Secretary-General national reports on their experience in carrying out far-reaching social and economic changes for the purpose of social progress;

5. Further requests the Secretary-General to prepare, in consultation with all States, a further report on national experience in achieving far-reaching social and economic changes for the purpose of social progress, taking into account the provisions of General Assembly resolutions 36/19 and 38/25, and to submit it to the Assembly at its forty-second session through the Commission for Social Development and the Economic and Social Council;

6. Requests the Commission for Social Development to consider at its thirtieth session the question of national experience in achieving far-reaching social and economic changes for the purpose of social progress.