26 July 1990

36th Plenary Meeting

1990/63. Assistance in cases of natural disasters and other disaster situations: Office of the United Nations Disaster Relief Co-ordinator

The Economic and Social Council,

Recalling General Assembly resolutions 2816 (XXVI) of 14 December 1971, 3243 (XXIX) of 29 November 1974, 36/225 of 17 December 1981, 38/202 of 20 December 1983 and other relevant resolutions of the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council related to the Office of the United Nations Disaster Relief Co-ordinator,

Bearing in mind General Assembly resolution 44/236 of 22 December 1989, by which the Assembly proclaimed the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction and, in paragraph 5 of the annex to the resolution, requested the Secretary-General to provide the Office of the United Nations Disaster Relief Co-ordinator with adequate means to enable it to discharge its specific responsibilities and functions in disaster prevention and preparedness, in accordance with General Assembly resolution 2816 (XXVI),

Deeply concerned about the additional economic burden placed on the developing countries by the increasing number of natural disasters and other disaster situations and in overcoming the long-term consequences of those disasters,

Recognizing the contribution made by the United Nations system to relieve the suffering of the victims and to provide humanitarian relief in natural disasters and other disaster situations,

Noting with appreciation the effective response of the Office of the United Nations Disaster Relief Co-ordinator to recent major disasters,

Expressing appreciation for the contribution made by the donor community, including Governments and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, in supporting international relief operations,

Recognizing that the shortage of resources has been one of the major constraints on the response of the United Nations to disaster situations and that continued efforts will be required from the international community to provide both funds and assistance in kind to ensure such an effective response by the United Nations to disaster situations,

Reaffirming that the Office of the United Nations Disaster Relief Co-ordinator is, within the United Nations system, the focal point for disaster matters and therefore should be provided by the donor community, the United Nations and the other organizations of the United Nations system with the support necessary for it to discharge its responsibilities in the area of disaster relief and mitigation,

Reaffirming also that the primary responsibility for the administration of disaster relief operations and for disaster preparedness lies with the Governments of the affected countries and recognizing that available resources and efforts are being devoted by the Governments of those countries to the alleviation of disaster-related problems,

1. Takes note with appreciation of the report of the Secretary-General on the work of the Office of the United Nations Disaster Relief Co-ordinator and of the statement made by the Co-ordinator before the Third (Programme and Co-ordination) Committee of the Economic and Social Council on 11 July 1990;

2. Reaffirms the mandate of the Office of the United Nations Disaster Relief Co-ordinator, established by the General Assembly in resolution 2816 (XXVI) as the focal point in the United Nations system for matters related to disaster relief and disaster mitigation;

3. Welcomes the close co-operation between the Office of the United Nations Disaster Relief Co-ordinator and the United Nations Development Programme with regard to disaster management;

4. Affirms the need for the secretariat of the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction to work in close association with the Office of the United Nations Disaster Relief Co-ordinator, in accordance with the relevant provisions of General Assembly resolution 44/236;

5. Encourages the Office of the United Nations Disaster Relief Co-ordinator in its efforts to strengthen further its co-operation with non-governmental organizations, as well as with governmental emergency relief services;

6. Notes with satisfaction the efforts made by the Office of the United Nations Disaster Relief Co-ordinator in strengthening its information systems and the exploration into the use of new telecommunication technology for disaster mitigation and relief efforts;

7. Emphasizes the essential need for the work of the Office of the United Nations Disaster Relief Co-ordinator to be placed and kept on a sound financial basis and appeals to Governments for voluntary contributions to the Trust Fund for the Strengthening of the Office to enable it to cover expenses in connection with increasing disaster relief operations and disaster mitigation assistance;

8. Appeals to Governments to make urgent voluntary contributions, directly or channelled through the Trust Fund of the Office of the United Nations Disaster Relief Co-ordinator, to enable the Office to cover the contingency expenses in connection with disaster relief operations;

9. Appeals further to Governments, intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations to contribute to the Trust Fund for the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction in order to enhance the capacity of implementing planned programmes and activities;

10. Requests the Secretary-General to provide the Office of the United Nations Disaster Relief Co-ordinator with the support necessary for it to discharge its mandate and to continue to respond to the increasing requests from developing countries for relief and technical assistance;

11. Also requests the Secretary-General to include information on the implementation of the present resolution in his next biennial report on the Office, to be submitted to the General Assembly at its forty-seventh session, through the Economic and Social Council at its second regular session of 1992.