26 July 1989

35th plenary meeting

Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples by the specialized agencies and the international institutions associated with the United Nations

The Economic and Social Council,

Having examined the report of the Secretary-General and the report of the President of the Economic and Social Council concerning the question of the implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples by the specialized agencies and the international institutions associated with the United Nations,

Having heard the statements made by the Chairman of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples and by the Chairman of the Special Committee against Apartheid,

Recalling General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960, containing the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, and all other resolutions adopted by United Nations bodies on this subject, including in particular General Assembly resolution 43/30 of 22 November 1988 and Economic and Social Council resolution 1988/53 of 26 July 1988,

Recalling also General Assembly resolutions 43/26 of 17 November 1988 on the question of Namibia and 43/50 of 5 December 1988 on the policies of apartheid of the Government of South Africa,

Reaffirming the responsibility of the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system to take all effective measures, within their respective spheres of competence, to assist in the full and speedy implementation of the Declaration and other relevant resolutions of United Nations bodies,

Noting with satisfaction the emplacement on 1 April 1989 of the United Nations Transition Assistance Group in Namibia, under the terms of Security Council resolution 435 (1978) of 29 September 1978,

Deeply concerned that the objectives of the Charter of the United Nations and the Declaration have not been fully achieved,

Noting with deep concern that South Africa's practice of apartheid and acts of destabilization against the front-line and neighbouring States continue to present a serious threat to international peace and security,

Strongly condemning the continuing policy of apartheid of South Africa, its breach of the obligations assumed by it under the Charter of the United Nations and its persistent non-compliance with the relevant United Nations resolutions and decisions,

Reaffirming that the denial of full political and civil rights to the majority of the population of South Africa is the result of the continuation of a colonial situation in that country,

Deeply conscious of the continuing critical need of the people of Namibia for concrete assistance from the specialized agencies and the international institutions associated with the United Nations, particularly during the transition to independence and immediately after independence,

Expressing its appreciation to the Organization of African Unity for convening in August 1988 the International Conference on the Plight of Refugees, Returnees and Displaced Persons in Southern Africa, and profoundly aware of the plight of the peoples concerned and their critical need for international assistance,

Noting with appreciation that assistance has continued to be extended to refugees from southern Africa through the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees,

Noting with satisfaction the continuing efforts of the United Nations Development Programme in extending assistance to Namibia and the national liberation movement concerned, and commending the initiative taken by that organization in establishing channels for closer, periodic contacts and consultations between the specialized agencies and United Nations institutions and the Organization of African Unity and the national liberation movement in the formulation of assistance programmes,

1. Takes note of the report of the President of the Economic and Social Council, and endorses the observations and suggestions contained therein;

2. Reaffirms that the recognition by the General Assembly, the Security Council and other United Nations organs of the legitimacy of the struggle of colonial peoples to exercise their right to self-determination and independence entails, as a corollary, the extension by the United Nations system of organizations of all the necessary moral and material assistance to the peoples of Namibia and South Africa and their national liberation movements;

3. Expresses its appreciation to those specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system that have continued to co-operate in varying degrees with the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity in the implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples and other relevant resolutions of United Nations bodies, and urges all the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system, in particular the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation and the International Monetary Fund, to contribute to the full and speedy implementation of the relevant provisions of those resolutions;

4. Requests the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system, as a matter of urgency, to render increased assistance to the people of Namibia during the transition to independence, in close co-operation with the United Nations Transition Assistance Group, and immediately after independence, and in particular requests the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to continue to facilitate the repatriation, rehabilitation and resettlement of all Namibian refugees and returnees, in order to enable them to participate fully and freely in the electoral process under the terms of the United Nations plan for the independence of Namibia set out in Security Council resolution 435 (1978);

5. Also requests the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system, in view of the deteriorating situation in South Africa and the acts of destabilization by the apartheid regime against States in the region, to increase their assistance to the front-line and neighbouring States and to the liberation movements in South Africa;

6. Further requests the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system to continue to take, in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly and the Security Council, all necessary measures to withhold any financial, economic, technical or other assistance from the Government of South Africa until it complies with the provisions of the relevant resolutions of the United Nations and to refrain from taking any action that might imply support for or endorsement of the repressive policy and practice of apartheid pursued by the racist regime against the people of South Africa, and its policy of destabilizing neighbouring African States;

7. Requests the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system, in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly and the Security Council on the policies of apartheid of the Government of South Africa, to intensify their support for the oppressed people of South Africa and to take such measures as will totally isolate the apartheid regime and mobilize world public opinion against apartheid;

8. Deeply deplores the financial and other links of certain international organizations with the Government of South Africa, in disregard of repeated General Assembly resolutions, and urgently calls upon those organizations to put an end to such links;

9. Notes with satisfaction the arrangements made by several specialized agencies and United Nations institutions that enable representatives of the national liberation movements recognized by the Organization of African Unity and other regional organizations concerned to participate fully as observers in proceedings relating to matters concerning their countries, and calls upon those international institutions that have not yet done so to make such arrangements without delay, including arrangements to defray the cost of the participation of those representatives;

10. Recommends that all States intensify their efforts in the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system to ensure the full and effective implementation of the Declaration and other related resolutions of United Nations bodies;

11. Urges the governing bodies of those specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system that have not already done so to include in the agenda of their regular sessions a separate item on the progress made and action to be taken by their organization in the implementation of the Declaration and other relevant resolutions of United Nations bodies;

12. Also urges the executive heads of the specialized agencies and other organizations within the United Nations system to formulate, with the active co-operation of the Organization of African Unity and other regional organizations concerned, concrete proposals for the full implementation of the relevant United Nations resolutions and to submit the proposals as a matter of priority to their governing and legislative organs;

13. Draws the attention of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples and the Special Committee against Apartheid to the present resolution and to the discussion held on the subject at the second regular session of 1989 of the Economic and Social Council;

14. Requests the President of the Economic and Social Council to continue to maintain close contact on these matters with the Chairman of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples and the Chairman of the Special Committee against Apartheid and to report thereon to the Council;

15. Requests the Secretary-General to follow the implementation of the present resolution, with particular attention to co-ordination and integration arrangements for maximizing the efficiency of the assistance activities undertaken by various organizations of the United Nations system, and to report thereon to the Council at its second regular session of 1990;

16. Decides to keep these questions under continuous review.