26 July 1991

31st plenary meeting

Critical humanitarian situation in the Horn of Africa

The Economic and Social Council,

Recalling General Assembly resolutions 45/154, 45/157, 45/160 and 45/161 of 18 December 1990,

Deeply concerned about the critical condition of millions of people threatened by famine, ill-health and civil strife, and equally concerned about the massive number of refugees and displaced persons in the Horn of Africa,

Bearing in mind the appeals made by the Secretary-General at the twenty-seventh ordinary session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity, held at Abuja from 3 to 5 June 1991, and at the opening of the second regular session of 1991 of the Economic and Social Council, on 3 July, in which he invited the international community to give prompt attention to the impending catastrophic situation that threatened in the Horn of Africa and called for the mobilization of additional resources to help the countries concerned to cope with the critical humanitarian situation,

Being particularly aware that there is a link between emergency aid, rehabilitation and development and that the existence of refugees and displaced persons places a heavy burden on the social and economic infrastructures of the countries concerned,

Taking into account the serious implications of the existing situation for the development prospects of the countries concerned and the imperative need for a coordinated approach by the United Nations system as a whole,

1. Expresses its gratitude to the Secretary-General for his initiative in sending an inter-agency mission to the Horn of Africa to assess the emergency humanitarian assistance for the affected countries and for his untiring efforts to alert the international community to the critical situation existing in the region and the need to mobilize additional resources;

2. Appeals to the international community and to intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to respond generously and promptly to the Secretary-General's appeals to meet the urgent needs already identified in the report of the inter-agency mission;

3. Appeals to all parties in the Horn of Africa to contribute constructively to the current processes of national reconciliation and regional cooperation and to the related negotiating efforts;

4. Calls upon Governments and other parties concerned in the affected countries, given the particular circumstances prevailing in those countries, to allow the international relief and development organizations and agencies, as well as the non-governmental organizations concerned, full access to the affected areas, to ensure their protection and to facilitate their efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to refugees and internally displaced persons;

5. Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its forty-sixth session a report on the implementation of the present resolution.