Assistance to Benin, the Central African Republic and Madagascar : resolution / adopted by the General Assembly

The General Assembly,

Recalling its resolution 45/230 of 21 December 1990, on assistance to Benin, the Central African Republic, Ecuador, Madagascar and Vanuatu, and its previous resolutions on assistance to those countries,

Having considered the relevant report of the Secretary-General,

Concerned at the continuing need for assistance in those countries, particularly since they are adversely affected by natural disasters,

Noting that, despite the structural adjustment programmes carried out by those countries, on the whole their economic and financial performance for the past two years has continued to be poor, and stressing the need for vigorous support of these programmes and for action to alleviate the impact of natural disasters and of the adjustment policies being implemented, especially in the social sphere,

Noting also that the financial crisis that Benin is undergoing has led to a slowing down of its economic and social development, and that the disastrous consequences of repeated floods during the past ten years, alternating with periods of drought and pluviometric disturbances, are a major impediment to the implementation of development policies and strategies,

Noting further the grave difficulties that the Government of the Central African Republic has continued to face since 1982 in achieving the objectives of its development programme, owing to the harmful effects of the international economic situation, and recognizing the need to provide it with supplementary resources so as to enable it to achieve those objectives,

Noting the particularly difficult problems faced by island developing countries in responding to negative and special economic circumstances, referred to in the report of the Secretary-General called for in General Assembly resolution 45/202 of 21 December 1990, that the economic and social development efforts of Madagascar, an island developing country, are being thwarted by the adverse effects of the cyclones, floods and drought that afflict that country periodically and that the implementation of reconstruction and rehabilitation programmes requires the mobilization of substantial resources that are beyond the real means of the country,

Concerned at the devastating effects of natural and other disasters on the environment and their adverse effects on the economy,

Recalling its 44/236 of 22 December 1989 on the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction,

Having heard the statements of Member States at its forty-seventh session on the situations currently prevailing in those countries,

1.         Expresses its appreciation to the Secretary-General, Member States, the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system, and regional, interregional, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations for the assistance they have provided or pledged to those countries;

2.         Notes the efforts undertaken by the Governments of those countries to overcome their economic and financial difficulties and to alleviate the catastrophic effects of natural disasters;

3.         Reaffirms that all Governments and international organizations should fulfil the commitments undertaken within the framework of the Declaration on International Economic Cooperation, in particular the Revitalization of Economic Growth and Development of the Developing Countries, contained in the annex to its resolution S-18/3 of 1 May 1990, the International Development Strategy for the Fourth United Nations Development Decade, contained in the annex to its resolution 45/199 of 21 December 1990, the Paris Declaration and the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the 1990s, the United Nations New Agenda for the Development of Africa in the 1990s, the Cartagena Commitment, the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, and Agenda 21;

4.         Notes with concern that the assistance made available to those countries has not always been adequate to meet their urgent requirements and that additional assistance is needed;

5.         Appeals to States, the international financial institutions of the United Nations, humanitarian organizations and voluntary agencies to respond generously and urgently to the needs of those countries and to continue and increase their assistance in response to the reconstruction, economic recovery and development needs of those countries;

6.         Requests the Secretary-General to continue to take the steps necessary and to mobilize the resources needed, in collaboration with the relevant organs, agencies and programmes of the United Nations system, in accordance with General Assembly resolution 45/230 on special programmes of economic assistance, to provide assistance for all disasters, natural or otherwise, striking those countries, in order to:

(a)        Meet any reconstruction needs resulting from disasters that have already occurred;

(b)        Implement preventive programmes to reduce the effects of future disasters, taking into account the International Framework of Action for the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction, contained in the annex to General Assembly resolution 44/236;

7.         Also requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its forty-ninth session a report on the implementation of the present resolution, containing:

(a)        The identification of priorities for action by the international community in those countries;

(b)        An assessment of the assistance actually received by those countries;

(c)        An assessment of needs still unmet and specific proposals for responding to them effectively.