27 July 1990

37th Plenary Meeting

1990/78. Refugees, displaced persons and returnees

The Economic and Social Council,

Recalling decision 90/22 of 22 June 1990 adopted by the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme at its thirty-seventh session,

Recalling General Assembly resolution 44/137 of 15 December 1989, in which, inter alia, the Assembly invited the agencies of the United Nations system, as well as all other relevant international organizations, both governmental and non-governmental, to establish as soon as possible specific mechanisms of co-operation to assure an agreed division of responsibilities and arrangements for the financing of operational activities relating to refugees, while preserving the mandate of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees,

Noting the substantial increase in the number of refugees, displaced persons and returnees and their impact on the development prospects of the often fragile economic infrastructures of the countries concerned,

Realizing the immense human suffering occasioned by the phenomenon of mass population movements resulting from conflict, natural and man-made disasters and war,

Recognizing that relief, rehabilitation, reconstruction and development are part of the same continuum, and stressing that the impact of refugees and displaced persons on the development prospects of affected countries are frequently severe, multifaceted and require a system-wide approach in order to ensure that the full spectrum of their needs is covered and that serving those needs should complement the development efforts of the affected countries,

Recognizing the primacy of the mandate of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in providing international protection and assistance to refugees and in seeking durable solutions to their problems, and commending the efforts being made by the Office in that regard,

1. Requests the Secretary-General to initiate a United Nations system-wide review to assess the experience and capacity of various organizations in the co-ordination of assistance to all refugees, displaced persons and returnees, and the full spectrum of their needs, in supporting the efforts of the affected countries;

2. Also requests the Secretary-General, on the basis of the system-wide review and within existing resources, to recommend ways of maximizing co-operation and co-ordination among the various organizations of the United Nations system in order to ensure an effective response by the United Nations system to the problems of refugees, displaced persons and returnees, keeping in mind the mandates of the United Nations organizations concerned;

3. Further requests the Secretary-General to report on the results of the system-wide review and on the recommendations emanating therefrom to the Economic and Social Council at its second regular session of 1991.