26 July 1990

36th Plenary Meeting

1990/60. 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 representative 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 Vice-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 the subject, including in particular General Assembly resolution 44/85 of 11 December 1989 and Economic and Social Council resolution 1989/95 of 26 July 1989,

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 attainment of independence by Namibia following the holding of free and fair elections under the supervision and control of the United Nations, and the subsequent admission of independent Namibia as a Member of the United Nations on 23 April 1990,

Also recalling General Assembly resolution S-16/1 of 14 December 1989, containing the Declaration on Apartheid and its Destructive Consequences in Southern Africa,

Noting with deep concern that destabilization by South Africa of the front-line and neighbouring States, whether through direct aggression, sponsorship of surrogates, economic subversion or other means, is unacceptable in all its forms and must not occur,

Recognizing that permanent peace and stability in southern Africa can only be achieved when the system of apartheid in South Africa has been eradicated and South Africa has been transformed into a united, democratic and non-racial country, and reiterating, therefore, that all the necessary measures should be adopted at the present time to bring a speedy end to the apartheid system in the interest of all the people of southern Africa, the African continent and the world at large,

Deeply concerned that the objectives of the Charter of the United Nations and the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples have not been fully achieved,

Bearing in mind the extremely fragile economies of the small island Territories and their vulnerability to natural disasters, such as hurricanes and cyclones, and recalling relevant General Assembly resolutions,

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,

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

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

2. Takes note also of the report of the Secretary-General;

3. Reaffirms that the recognition by the General Assembly, the Security Council and other United Nations organs of the legitimacy of the aspiration 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 those peoples;

4. Expresses its appreciation to those specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system that have continued to co-operate in varying forms and degrees with the United Nations and the regional organizations concerned 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 to contribute to the full and speedy implementation of the relevant provisions of those resolutions;

5. 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 the United Nations system;

6. Requests the specialized agencies and international institutions associated with the United Nations to strengthen existing measures of support and formulate additional programmes of assistance to the remaining Trust and Non-Self-Governing Territories within the framework of their respective mandates;

7. Requests the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system, as well as international and regional organizations, to take appropriate measures within their spheres of competence in order to accelerate progress in the economic and social sectors of those Territories;

8. Welcomes the continued initiative exercised by the United Nations Development Programme in maintaining close liaison among the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system, and in co-ordinating the activities of the specialized agencies in extending effective assistance to the peoples of colonial Territories, and calls upon the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system, as a matter of urgency, to contribute generously to the relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in the Non-Self-Governing Territories affected by natural disasters;

9. Urges the administering Powers concerned to facilitate the participation of the representatives of the Governments of Trust and Non-Self-Governing Territories at the relevant meetings and conferences of the agencies and organizations so that the Territories may draw the maximum benefits from the related activities of the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system;

10. 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 the United Nations bodies;

11. 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 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;

12. Urges the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system to adhere to the Programme of Action contained in the Declaration on Apartheid and its Destructive Consequences in Southern Africa, in particular with regard to increased support for the opponents of apartheid, the use of concerted and effective measures aimed at applying pressure to ensure a speedy end to apartheid and ensuring the non-relaxation of existing measures to encourage the South African regime to eradicate apartheid until there is clear evidence of profound and irreversible changes;

13. Stresses, in the context of the Declaration on Apartheid and its Destructive Consequences in Southern Africa, the need for the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system to render all possible assistance to the front-line and neighbouring States to enable them to rebuild their economies, which have been adversely affected by South Africa's acts of aggression and destabilization, to withstand any further such acts and to continue to support the people of South Africa;

14. 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 to the present resolution and to the discussion held on the subject at the second regular session of 1990 of the Economic and Social Council;

15. 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 to report thereon to the Council;

16. Also requests the President of the Council to maintain contact with the Chairman of the Special Committee against Apartheid, which is the focal point for the international campaign against apartheid, and to report thereon to the Council as appropriate;

17. 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 1991;

18. Decides to keep these questions under continuous review.