26 July 1989

35th plenary meeting

Population situation in the least developed countries

The Economic and Social Council,

Recalling General Assembly resolutions 42/177 of 11 December 1987 and 43/186 of 20 December 1988 on the Second United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, to be held in September 1990,

Reaffirming the close relationship between population and social and economic development,

Expressing serious concern at the fact that the least developed countries, which are economically the weakest members of the international community, face serious demographic challenges, in particular high levels of mortality, fertility and population growth,

Recognizing also the need for special attention to be given to the population situation in the least developed countries,

Expressing appreciation for the report of the Secretary-General on the monitoring of world population trends and policies, with special emphasis on the population situation in the least developed countries,

1. Decides that the activities of the United Nations system should accord special attention to the population situation in the least developed countries;

2. Recommends that population issues be incorporated in the policies and measures to be adopted by the Second United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries to accelerate the development process of the least developed countries during the 1990s;

3. Requests the Secretary-General of the Conference to address appropriately population issues and their relationship to the social and economic development of the least developed countries in the preparations for the Conference;

4. Requests the Secretary-General to prepare for the Conference a report on the population situation in the least developed countries, with specific recommendations for action at the national, regional and international levels, taking into account the findings contained in his report on the monitoring of world population trends and policies regarding the population situation in the least developed countries, in particular their high levels of mortality, fertility and population growth;

5. Also requests the Secretary-General to include a separate analysis of the population situation in the least developed countries in his reports on the monitoring of world population trends and policies;

6. Calls upon the organizations of the United Nations system to incorporate population issues in their programmes and activities for the least developed countries, with a view to strengthening the ability of those countries to address population issues in an effective manner.