26 July 1985

52nd plenary meeting

Critical economic situation in Africa

The Economic and Social Council,

Recalling the Declaration on the Critical Economic Situation in Africa adopted by the General Assembly in its resolution 39/29 of 3 December 1984,

Gravely concerned at the continuing critical economic situation in Africa, which has been exacerbated by the unfavourable international economic environment,

Recognizing the impact of drought and desertification, and environmental and demographic factors on the critical economic situation,

Expressing its appreciation of the efforts and generous contributions of the international community - Governments, organizations of the United Nations system, the general public, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations - in response to the emergency situation,

Welcoming all the initiatives undertaken by the Secretary-General in this connection,

Welcoming the resolve of African heads of State and Government and peoples to address in a coherent manner the economic and social problems facing the continent,

Welcoming in this context the declaration and resolutions on the economic situation in Africa, as well as on the Special Emergency Assistance Fund for Drought and Famine in Africa, adopted by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity at its twenty-first ordinary session, held at Addis Ababa from 18 to 20 July 1985, which was devoted essentially to economic issues,

Gravely concerned also at the continuing negative effects of the destabilization policy of South Africa on the economies of southern African States,

Considering that the responsibility for the development of Africa lies primarily with African Governments and peoples,

Stressing, however, the need for the international community as a whole to continue to give priority attention to the critical economic situation in Africa and, to that end, to increase its concrete support in addressing the immediate as well as the medium-term and long-term needs for the rehabilitation and sustained development of the African economies,

Concerned that, despite recent efforts undertaken by the donor community, the combined effects of a stagnation, over the past years, of overall official development assistance, higher levels of debt servicing and depressed commodity export earnings have led African countries to experience a negative flow of financial resources,

1. Welcomes the adoption of the priority programme for the economic recovery of Africa (1986-1990) by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity at its twenty-first ordinary session;

2. Welcomes also the high priority that African Governments individually and collectively have accorded to the improvement of the critical food situation in the continent and to the rehabilitation and development of the food and agricultural sector;

3. Strongly urges the international community to intensify its efforts in order to increase substantially the flow of resources - particularly of a concessional character - to Africa and to address in a comprehensive manner the critical problem arising from negative or insufficient flows of resources due, inter alia, to the heavy debt burden and to the depressed commodity export earnings of African countries;

4. Appeals to the international community, in particular donor countries, to extend all necessary support to African regional and subregional institutions engaged in the process of implementation of economic recovery programmes and economic self-reliance for their member countries;

5. Recognizes, moreover, the urgent need to support the rehabilitation and development of the industrial, manufacturing, transport and communications sectors, as well as improved scientific and technological capabilities, health services and human resource development, which are crucial for a sustained and integrated process of development of African countries;

6. Stresses that the international community, while continuing to address the African emergency, should give greater focus to supporting the medium-term and longer-term development actions without which no lasting solutions to the emergency situation can be found;

7. Appreciates and encourages efforts by African Governments to ensure the effectiveness of development assistance by overseeing effective co-ordination and to this end stresses the importance of close co-ordination by the United Nations system of assistance provided under its auspices;

8. Appeals to donor countries, international organizations and non-governmental organizations to consider generous contributions to the Special Emergency Assistance Fund for Drought and Famine in Africa to enable affected countries to resist these calamities effectively;

9. Stresses the urgent need for concerted international measures aimed at mitigating the adverse economic effects on the economies of southern African States of destabilizing acts of aggression by South Africa;

10. Fully recognizes the importance of Africa's debt problems and in this context takes note of the appeal launched by African heads of State and Government calling for the urgent convening of an international conference on Africa's external debt;

11. Takes note with interest of the decision by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity, by which it requested the convening as soon as possible of a special session of the General Assembly to consider the critical economic situation in Africa;

12. Requests the Secretary-General to report on the implementation of the present resolution, through the Economic and Social Council, to the General Assembly at its forty-first session.