28 July 1988

40th plenary meeting

Transport and Communications Decade in Africa

The Economic and Social Council,

Recalling resolution 291 (XIII) of 26 February 1977 of the Conference of Ministers of the Economic Commission for Africa, Economic and Social Council resolution 2097 (LXIII) of 29 July 1977 and General Assembly resolution 32/160 of 19 December 1977,

Noting the financial support provided by the General Assembly, the United Nations Development Programme and donor countries for the implementation of the programme of the Transport and Communications Decade in Africa,

Taking into account the report on the in-depth evaluation of the Transport and Communications Decade in Africa, which concluded that the Decade gave a major boost to the future development of transport and communications by equipping Africa with a policy and strategy, as well as institutions and mechanisms for their implementation,

Considering resolution 84/44 of the fourth meeting of the Conference of African Ministers of Transport, Communications and Planning, in which the Conference recommended that Governments of States members of the Economic Commission for Africa decide, in principle, to approve the launching of a second United Nations transport and communications decade in Africa,

Noting the report on progress in the implementation of the second phase of the programme of the Decade and the report on the sixth meeting of the Conference of African Ministers of Transport, Communications and Planning,

Conscious that air transport is one of the key factors in economic development and integration in Africa,

Noting the concern expressed by the Conference of African Ministers of Transport, Communications and Planning about the adverse consequences for African air transport of the new civil aeronautic policies emanating from outside the continent,

Bearing in mind resolution 86/55 of the fifth meeting of the Conference of African Ministers on Transport, Communications and Planning, in which it, inter alia, called upon the Economic Commission for Africa to provide support to the various African subregional organizations and to assist them in co-ordinating their transport and communications programmes,

Mindful of the heavy investments made by States members of the Economic Commission for Africa in the Pan-African Telecommunications Network and the substantial achievement made in establishing it,

Noting that the in-depth evaluation of the Decade has revealed great deficiencies in the inland water transport systems in Africa,

1. Takes note of resolution 88/73 of 24 March 1988 of the Conference of African Ministers of Transport, Communications and Planning, in which the Conference recommended that:

(a) A second United Nations transport and communications decade in Africa should be declared for the period 1991-2000 in order to sustain the momentum of the activities begun during the first Decade;

(b) The expertise and experience acquired during the first Decade should be retained by continuing the institutional arrangements for the first Decade, namely, the Conference of African Ministers of Transport, Communications and Planning as the permanent policy-making body, the Economic Commission for Africa as the lead agency responsible, in collaboration with other organizations of the United Nations system, for preparing the programme for the Decade and for harmonizing, co-ordinating and monitoring activities, and the Inter-Agency Co-ordinating Committee as the technical body accountable to the Conference of Ministers;

(c) There should be a two-year preparatory period between the end of the first Decade and the launching of the second;

2. Recommends that the General Assembly, in the light of the outcome of the preparations referred to in paragraph 1 (c) of the present resolution, consider declaring the period 1991-2000 the Second Transport and Communications Decade in Africa;

3. Expresses its appreciation for the generous support of the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme and those members of the international community that were able to provide financial and technical assistance for carrying out the activities of the first Decade;

4. Appeals to the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme to continue to provide support for activities related to the two-year preparatory period, 1989-1990;

5. Requests donor countries and international financial institutions to intensify their support for the accelerated development of transport and communications in Africa.